Laurel
by by10433
Summary: She had read many books about intrepid heroes risking everything for an adventure. So why would you force a pacifist on one of the most dangerous adventures in history? But when the Valar themselves have created you for such a journey, is there really any option? Besides, the company might make it worth the trip, that is as long as they keep their noses out of her business.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One:

It was another rainy day as Laurel gazed out of her solitary window. She could only see an endless sea of treetops and grey, gloomy rainclouds casting shadows over the landscape. She did this every day. She would keep a steady eye trained on the horizon for anything new each day. Some days she would see whole flocks of birds, other days a squirrel poking its head through the topmost branches of a nearby tree. It was all rather monotonous. She had no idea how long she had been in this godforsaken tower. Her caregiver, Saruman, brought her here as a child. He watched over her and cared for her and educated her on the ways of the different races of Arda. He brought her water, clothing, reading material, and even trained her in self-defense. Laurel knew that he never intended for her to leave this tower, so he never taught her to use a sword or bow for offensive purposes, and nor would she ever wish to.

Laurel had been blessed by Yavanna, one of the Valar, at birth. She was always in tune with the plants and animals that lived in the known world. She was born to human parents long ago, but she had a few striking features that set her apart from the race of men and ultimately lead to them opting to give her up. Her eyes were the brightest shade of emerald green and her hair was a rich, mahogany that shimmered down to her lower back in soft, wavy curls. She liked to imagine that her soul had been woven from a beautiful tree, since she seemed to be connected with them in such an intimate way. She had peach-colored skin that flushed easily when she was excited or embarrassed, and was much taller than most human women, according to Saruman. She hadn't had the chance to interact with other children for much more than a few years before she was whisked away to this tower.

Saruman had eventually revealed to her why she had ended up here when he deemed her old enough to understand. Apparently, her eyes would change shades according to her moods, and this greatly frightened her human parents. When she was happy her eyes became a bright, shimmering lime-green, but when she was angry they became a forest green so dark it nearly looked black. Oh, and she never ate. This is probably what frightened her parents the most, she thought. Laurel was truly connected to the earth in more ways than one. She drank water like everyone else, but when it came to food, well, she never had an appetite for it. As a child she would simply bask in the warm sunlight and gain enough energy for days of activity.

That was why they had sought out a wizard. Their strange little girl never ate, had eyes that changed colors, and was more interested in watching the ants march along the forest floor than playing with the other children. Saruman had taken a liking to her and offered to take her in as if she were his own and to care for her for the rest of her days. That must have been around the end of the first age and the beginning of the second. She could never really remember. All she knew, day-in and day-out, was this room in her tower and the endless, leafy horizon. The room was a small, circular one with book shelves on one side and her four-post bed and her dresser on the other. The floors were made of hard, grey stone and when the sun caught the room just right she could see all the little specks of dust floating in the air. Sometimes out of boredom she would count them, or imagine she was one of them and could float out the window on a breeze to who knows where.

As a teenager she had despised Saruman for keeping her in here, but nowadays she was indifferent. She had attempted to escape many times, and each time Saruman had invented new ways to keep her in. At first he had just removed the door he used to access the tower, then he took away the balcony and then the curtains, raised the tower's height, and restricted her belongings to those that could not possibly be used for escape (i.e. books). So she resigned her time to be spent training her body and mind for the one day that she might need those skills, although she highly doubted it. Over the years she became very skilled in archery, linguistics, and horticulture among other things. Her small room was absolutely overflowing with various plants and flowers, these she would receive as gifts from Saruman on special occasions and for good behavior. Her gifts from Yavanna, the Giver of Fruits and Protector of Plants, had allowed her to help plants grow well beyond their limits, even in the absence or excess water, sunlight or nutrients. She made friends with some of the migratory birds that would fly passed her tower, but they were never permanent friends. She never really had any friends besides Saruman. It was sad, but Saruman said it was for her protection and that no one must know about her. Everyone that knew about her as a child had long since died, but for some reason she seemed to never age beyond the looks of a twenty-something year old human woman.

She became lost in thought as she leaned against the window's frame, but she was stirred out of her trance when a beautiful blue butterfly hovered just in front of her nose. Now, she couldn't speak to animals in the way she spoke to Saruman. They didn't have a formal language with syntax and a vocabulary. How she communicated with them was through feeling. This butterfly, for instance, was panicked. This made her sit up quickly and hold her palm out to the little thing to rest on. In her mind she saw Gandalf the Grey, injured and reaching out for help. She knew it was Gandalf from Saruman's stories, even though she had never made his acquaintance. In another scene she saw her caretaker, Saruman. She gasped as she saw him attacking the grey wizard and felt a sicking feeling in the pit of her stomach. His usually endearing smile was twisted into an evil grin. He lashed out at Gandalf and it was clear that they were no longer friends. Laurel was horrified at the the thought of him being capable of such things, betraying his best and oldest friend.

She had never met Gandalf personally, but she had most definitely pictured him to be a wizard who always fought for what was good and just. But now Saruman had turned his back on his friend. Laurel remembered when Saruman had taught her how to craft her bow, how to weave, taught her Sindarin and Dwarvish. He patched her knees when she feel after climbing to the top of her dresser and falling onto the hard, stone floors. He held her hand when she cried after seeing a small songbird snatched from the air by a hawk for the first time. He cared for her. But what now? He had known Gandalf for much longer than he had cared for her. The look in Saruman's eyes. It was something that shook her to her core and set a chill in her bones.

She could no longer stay here. She loved Saruman for being the person who cared for her for thousands of years, but he was someone different now, this was new, this was bad.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

Books littered the floor of Laurel's small room. She was searching for something she had read in an old tome, a map of sorts. She read about the many kingdoms of Arda and she knew many languages, she just needed to find a place that seemed suitable to hide away. All she knew was she could not stay here. Saruman had been to her tower only yesterday, which meant he would not likely return for another few days. Finally, she found a dusty red book with tattered spine and yellowed pages. She flipped to the back of the book where there was a crude map of Arda. The only problem, she had no idea where she was on that map.

Sighing, she ripped the page out of the book and folded it in half, placing it in a small sack she had woven many years back. She donned a brown tunic and grey breeches. She never grew accustomed to dresses, seeing no need to dress so formally when her only company was Saruman and the occasional bird or butterfly. The one thing she had never owned was a pair of shoes. She had no need for them, not when your floor never got dirty and you never went outside. Laurel leaned her head out the window, trying to gauge how far down the forest floor was. It was at least fifty feet. She hefted her small sack over one shoulder and her bow and quiver of arrows over the other. She walked to the far side of her room where a thick patch of ivy grew out of the walls. She willed their strands to braid themselves together and thicken their vines. They did as she wished and slowly inched their way closer to the window. Laurel guided the thickening rope of plants and waited until the vine reached their way out the window and under the canopy of treetops that brushed against the sides of the tall, stone tower.

After about ten minutes she felt confident that she could climb down and reach the forest floor safely. Sticking one foot out the window and lowering herself off the ledge, she steadily eased her way down the vines. Before she had climbed out the window, she made sure to wrap the vines thrice around her bed posts to anchor the living rope. It took nearly twenty minutes for her to reach the ground, mostly because her legs and arms were shaking from the fear of falling and the newness of going out into the world for the first time in many thousand years.

Once on the ground, she let her feet dig into the soft, dark soil. She could feel the trees around her and hear the chirping of the insects and birds. She could feel the shallow breeze that wound its way through the tree trunks and blew some of her hairs across her face. She closed her eyes and smiled, spreading her arms out and spinning in slow circles with her head raised to the canopy. This was perfect! She could feel all the life around her! She laughed out loud and stopped spinning to take in the forest. She reached a hand out to the nearest tree trunk and nearly stumbled back at the force of emotion she felt. That tree had been angry, immensely angry! As she approached a different tree she felt the same overwhelming feeling. Why were all these trees so angry? She walked through the forest, touching a tree every now and again to see if the anger they were feeling was localized somehow. But no. They were all very mad, the whole forest. She decided that she had to put distance between her and that tower because Saruman would eventually discover her jail break and hunt her down.

Laurel shivered at the thought of being a prisoner to the new and wicked Saruman. She no longer knew what he was capable of and that terrified her. She walked for what felt like hours until she came upon a small stream. She knelt down on the bank and greedily scooped handfuls of fresh water into her mouth. This water was much better than the stale water Saruman always brought her! It tasted cold and fresh and full of life! A break in the clouds let fall a ray of sunlight close to where she sat so she scooted over a few feet to bask for a few moments. Feeling the warm sun on her skin was the best, and she felt her energy soar. Now she was truly ready for a journey!

Laurel hitched her sack a little higher on her shoulder and contemplated which direction she should go from here. The sound of splashing caught her attention. She glanced behind her and noticed a small school of fish were passing by. She leaned back down to the water and submerged her hand, waiting for a fish to brush against her. Eventually one did and she saw a beautiful place flowing with rivers and waterfalls and all kinds of flowers and animals. It looked like paradise! That was where she would go! She resigned herself to following the river with the fish until she found this place these fish were headed.

A few days went by as she walked along the banks of the stream, which had grown in size and strength as she went, and she was about to enter an area that seemed to be a large unending plain of grasslands. Without cover, she could be spotted by anyone! Saruman had warned her of the greed of men, the viciousness of orcs, the wrath of dwarves and the trickery of elves. No one was to be trusted, except of course for the Maiar, which included Gandalf, Saruman, the Lady Galadriel, and some others who's names she forgot. However, mentally she scratched Saruman's name off that esteemed list. Laurel sat at the edge of the tree line wondering if it would be wise to risk leaving the safety of the trees to follow the river.

For an hour she sat and debated in her mind the pros and cons of each choice, trees or grass, safety or exposure? She saw on the ground the shadow of a bird flying overhead and immediately stood and let out a whistle. She watched the small sparrow loop back around snd she gingerly held out her hand as a perch for the bird. It landed on her outstretched hand and twitted happily in greeting, fluffing out its brown plumage.

"Little bird, can you fly ahead of me and warn me of any passersby that I might encounter on my way?" she asked the little bird politely. She knew the bird didn't understand language and rather sensed in her mind's eye what she truly needed from it, but it was nice to at least pretend she could have conversations with someone other than her thoughts. The bird swiveled its head while it looked at her for a moment, then hopped up and down a few times before taking flight. It chirped happily to her and Laurel let out a small tinkling laugh as she followed the little sparrow and the bank of the river.

* * *

Four more days passed, walking and listening for any alarmed chirps from the little sparrow. A few times she had to duck behind a sloping hill to avoid roving bands of merchants, and once a pack of ten to twenty orcs. They were ghastly things to behold. She had always profoundly loved nature, from the little ivy vines and daisies to horses and even spiders. But orcs, she decided, felt inherently wrong. They were a perversion of what nature had intended and they only sought misery and destruction. She prayed to Yavanna that she would never need encounter those foul beasts for the rest of her long life.

Thankfully, there was plenty of sun to be had out on those grassy plains, and the river beside her for that cool, crisp water she loved so much. As the days passed, she noticed that little beetles had begun to follow her, and butterflies as well. On the seventh day she came upon a snake, but the snake only followed her for a short while until it eventually went its own way, in search of a field mouse most likely. Animals seemed to be attracted to her, which she guessed was part of her gift, although she never got to interact much with animals when she was high up in that tower for so long. The grasses became taller as she neared what looked like mountains surrounded by dense forest in the distance. She let her fingers dance over the tips of the passing blades of grass, feeling them slide through her fingers and listening to the singing of crickets as the sun lowered in the sky.

It wasn't long before lightning bugs rose from the thick grass and performed their own choreographed dances in the sky, creating a light show that Laurel laughed and danced along with as she traveled. By sundown she had reached the forest's edge and decided she needed some sleep. She tiredly stretched her arms over her head and let out a yawn. Within minutes of entering the forest, she had amassed a following of chipmunks, squirrels, a deer or two, a skunk, many kinds of birds, and some sort of lizard that she had never seen before, even in a book. She silently asked some of the animals to keep watch that night as she climbed a willow tree nearby. She settled onto a high branch that could support her weight and felt the tree gently wrap is long, leafy tendrils around her for warmth and protection. Laurel sighed peacefully as she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep surrounded by her new woodland friends and under the watchful eyes of the animals of the forest.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

Laurel rose with sun the next morning, feeling its warm rays glittering through the leaves of the willow tree. She closed her eyes and smiled sleepily, stretching her arms above her head. She leaned her forehead against the willow's trunk, letting it feel her gratitude for its protection. Some of the animals that had gathered around her last night were still there at the foot of the tree, while others had gone on their ways. She hopped off the last branch and felt her bare feet sink into the soft, dark soil. She took in a deep breath and situated her sack on her shoulder, once or twice she had tried to look at the lackluster map she had ripped from her book, but it never really helped since none of the features she came across during her traveling were represented on the map. She realigned herself with the river and walked on, following the now more dense schools of fish. She must be getting close.

After a few hours, she stoped to rest near some boulders and decided now was a great time to wash her feet. After all, they were caked with dirt and mud from walking for so many days. At times she wondered why she was not as fatigued as she felt she should be, she never got this amount of sustained exercise ever before in her life! In the end she shrugged it off, maybe it was just the combination of better quality of water and more sunlight. And of course the inspiriting company. She smiled down at the little posse of rabbits and squirrels that dashed around her feet.

Once she resumed her walking, she scooped up a baby badger and carried him along with her as she went, ruffling his fur and scratching him behind his ears before returning him to his mother who was diligently trotting beside her. The plants became evermore diverse and plentiful as she journeyed deeper into the forest. They were all colors of the rainbow and the flowers all smelled so sweet! She could hear waterfalls in the distance and felt her excitement grow. She was nearly there now!

Suddenly, there was loud crashing sounds coming from her left. All the animals scattered in different directions and she was left standing alone as the rumbling sounds of someone coming grew louder. She ran forward as fast as she could, hoping to miss them if their path continued in a straight line. She glanced behind her to make sure she wasn't being followed, but then ran smack into something hard and crashing to the ground. She looked up into the menacing face of an orc. Teeth yellowed and broken, scars littering its face, arms and torso, and a lecherous snarl forming on its face. Soon she was surrounded by five more orcs, probably the ones she had heard coming toward her.

The beasts grabbed her and strung her arms behind her back, ridding her of her sack and the quiver of arrows and bow she had brought from her tower. One of them snapped her bow over its knee and she felt a pang of sadness. She had crafted that bow many decades ago and was very dear to her. The arrows had been passed around their small company and were being used like toothpicks. Their speech was harsh and hurt her ears to listen to. She never learned Black Speech, but right now she almost wished she had. The orc that found her hefted her over his shoulder and carried her off in a new direction. She struggled and squirmed to get free, but it was no use. When they stopped an hour later and set her down, she saw her chance. She dashed between the trees and ran as fast as her feet could carry her, but with her hands tied behind her back, her running was awkward and uncoordinated. She soon tripped over a tree root and came crashing to the ground. The orcs had noticed her escape plan and given chase, so she was now surrounded again. This time they looked angry, and the next thing she knew she felt a sharp pain to the side of her head and her world faded to black.

* * *

She awoke to the sound of clashing metal and horses. She opened her eyes and nearly screeched at the sight in front of her. She was still bound by the hands and in front of her lay the severed head of one of the disgusting orcs. She felt queasy for a moment and closed her eyes tightly. She regained her composure and turned her focus to the sounds that woke her. There were elves! Elves on horses, and they were fighting the orcs that had captured her. They made swift work of the orc pack, seeing as there was only five or six of them. She saw one of the elves point in her direction and the group of them turned their horses toward her. Laurel scrambled to her feet. Saruman had warned her of elves, said they were tricksters and always had ulterior motives and would play the long con so they could gain your trust and betray you in the that she thought about it, that sounded like what Saruman had done to Gandalf, but she still wasn't taking any chances. She rushed behind a thicket of trees and heard the elves drawing close.

There was no way she could outrun them when they were on horses, and there was no place to hide. But it didn't matter because they were upon her in a few seconds. They pulled up their horses and a tall elf with long, dark brown hair dropped out of his saddle.

"Please don't be frightened, my lady, we mean you no harm," he spoke softly. Laurel eyed him wearily. She had never seen a real elf before. She had to admit, he was strikingly handsome. He was tall with a muscled yet slender frame and various braids decorating his hair. "My name is Elrohir, what is your name?"

Laurel hesitated, should she give them her real name? What if they told Saruman she was here? But then, how would they know she had any connection to Saruman, she reasoned. Well, it couldn't hurt, she decided, no one knew she existed so no one should recognize her name.

"Laurel," she said softly, glancing up at the company of elves around her before settling her attention back on the one in front of her.

"A beautiful name, my lady," he bowed his head before her. "May I release you from those bonds? I swear to you we intend you no harm." Laurel gave a small nod and shifted toward the elf. He reached into the side pocket of his saddle and produce a small knife. Laurel jumped back when she saw it and felt her heart begin to pound in her chest. Elrohir realized he had startled her and quickly explained himself. "It's alright! I only wish to cut the ropes around your wrists." He approached Laurel slowly, as if she were a spooked horse, and gently cut the ropes that had bound her hands together. She rubbed her wrists once the ropes were gone and took a step back from the elf, Elrohir.

"Please, come with us to Imladris, my father will see that you are well cared for and receive a comfortable room and a warm meal." He gave her a sincere smile and extended his hand to her. Laurel debated the offer in his head. She wanted to continue following the river and go where those fish were going, she didn't want to be around so many people. But then again, it might be nice to sleep in a bed again, she hadn't slept comfortably for weeks now.

"Alright," she signed, placing her hand in Elrohir's. His smile widened and he lead her over to his horse, hefting her onto the saddle. Immediately Laurel felt uncomfortable on the back of another animal and quickly pressed her palm to the horses shoulder, expressing her apologies. In return, the tall, grey horse whinnied and made her sure that it was alright and that he didn't mind the extra weight. Meanwhile the company of elves had watched the interaction with mild intrigue, this human woman was a very strange one indeed.

Elrohir hoisted himself onto the saddle behind Laurel. Her back arched away from him and she tried to minimize any bodily contact between them. Elrohir seemed to sense her discomfort and tried to lighten the mood.

"Do not worry, my lady, soon you will be rested and you can return home to your husband," he said with a charming smile. Laurel remained silent though, choosing to let him believe whatever he wanted about her. Elrohir nudged his horse forward and the whole company followed behind him. They rode for maybe half an hour before they came to a large wall. One of the elves called up to another elf that was stationed atop the wall, and two massive doors parted to allow their small group passage through the gate.

Laurel's eyes lit up when she saw what was beyond the gate. It was beautiful! There were waterfalls and lush greenery! The sunlight sparkled off the crystal clear ponds and deer moved about among the trees. Rainbows appeared in the mists that hung in the air from the waterfalls and the breeze smelled of the sweet flowers that bloomed all around. Elrohir watched her reaction and smiled to himself. His homely truly was something to behold and he was glad she was impressed by it. He wanted to make her feel welcome, it was clear she had bee through quite an ordeal with those orcs and she was dressed in mens' clothing with no shoes or belongings. He pitied the young woman, she probably wanted to return to her husband and family. Although, secretly he hoped she was unmarried. She was striking for a human. Her rich mahogany hair shone in the light and her supple curves were just barely distinguishable under her tunic and breeches. Her eyes were an olive green, although now they seemed a little lighter, perhaps he had not gotten a good look at them earlier. She seemed very young and very shy, she was lucky they had found her when they did. Orcs had been known for doing unspeakable cruelties to beautiful young women and elleths.

As their group crossed over a bridge and let out into a courtyard, he could see his father descending the stair s to greet them, his twin brother Elladan on his heels. They dismounted their steeds and Elrohir gently eased Laurel off his horse and onto the ground.

"Father, brother," he greeted with a smile. He had been away on border patrol for many months, and Elladan had not been with him due to an injury that needed to heal. His father embraced him and stepped to the side in order to see their new guest. "Father, this is Laurel, we rescued her from a small band of orcs not far from our border."

"Well, I am glad to see you unharmed Lady Laurel," Lord Elrond bowed his head to her and Laurel retuned the gesture, not exactly knowing the customary greetings.

"Thank you, my lord," she supplied with a small smile. Lord Elrond took note of her bare feet, tunic and breeches as he surveyed the young woman.

"Where are you from, my dear? After you've rested and gotten something to eat, we can organize an escort for you to return home, at your leisure of course. You are welcome to take the necessary time you need to recover from your order before any formal plans are made."

"Thank you, my lord," Laurel replied. She wasn't sure what to say beyond thank you, so she kept it at that.

"Elladan, would you show our guest to a suitable room in the east wing please?" Lord Elrond addressed his son, turning behind him for confirmation.

"Of course father," Elladan responded in a cheery tone. "I'm sure Lady Laurel is anxious to be rid of my boring brother here." He flashed Laurel a devious smirk and she couldn't help the small blush that crept onto her cheeks along with a small smile.

"Please excuse my brother's antics," Elrohir huffed. "It would seem he is still an elfling at heart." Laurel smiled a little more, she was learning so much more about elves today than she had in her books. All her books could tell her was the history of their race and their superior senses they possessed.

"My Lady," Elladan held out his arm for her to take. Laurel gently took his arm and muttered a small 'thank you'.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four:

Elladan had nearly chatted her ear off as he showed her to her room, despite the lack of participation in the conversation from her side. He told her that dinner was to be served in a few hours and that someone would come to fetch her when it was ready. In the meantime, a few servants had drawn her a bath and laid out a light blue dress for her to wear to dinner. She looked at the long-sleeved dress with a bit of disdain. She did't care for dresses, but she didn't want to be rude either. She slipped into the hot water of the bath and thought about her next plan of action. Dinner. That was going to be a problem. It would appear highly suspect for her to not be hungry after romping about in the woods. If she refused, she might risk insulting the elves, and they might toss her out!

But would that really be a bad thing? Sure, there wouldn't be a cozy bed in the woods, and sure there might be orcs roaming the woods, and sure Saruman might somehow find her, but it would be alright, right? She let out an exasperated sigh. Ugh, she was safer here than not here at the moment, so she couldn't risk refusing the elves' hospitality. After soaking for a while, Laurel hauled her weary body out of the tub. Now that things had slowed down a bit, she could feel the throbbing of her head where that orc had struck her. She flopped down onto the bed, not caring that she was still completely nude from her bath. The sun was starting to set outside her window, so she knew she would have to think of something soon.

A knock sounded at the door. "Lady Laurel?" It was Elrohir! Laurel quickly grabbed the dress and sprinted to the bathroom.

"One moment please!" she called, trying to slip the dress on. However, she quickly realized this dress would not fit her at all. The waist was too narrow to slide over her hips and was much too tight around the bodice if she tried to put it on the other way. Ugh! It wasn't like she had enormous breasts, Laurel huffed. They were neither small nor large, and the same went for her hips. She had a good figure with all the training she did in her spare time, but she certainly wasn't fat enough to not fit into a dress! This was ridiculous. Swallowing the embarrassment, she called out to Elrohir.

"Elrohir?"

"Yes, my lady?" he responded, voice slightly muffled from the door.

"Would you mind fetching someone to help me with my dress, please?" she pleaded. She felt so embarrassed. Not fitting into a dress! This was never a problem she had to face with tunics and breeches!

"Of course, my lady, one moment," he called back. She waited a few minutes until there was another knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Laurel called to this new person.

"My name is Arwen, Lady Laurel, Elrohir said you needed assistance dressing?" The soft voice was of that of an elleth, which put Laurel slightly more at ease.

"Come in!" she called. She poked her head around the door to the bathroom, spotting the elleth that had just entered her room. "It would seem that the dress left for me doesn't exactly fit," she explained, her cheeks burning bright red. Arwen smiled softly and nodded her head.

"One moment, I will see if we have anything more suitable," she said as she exited the room. She returned a few minutes later holding three different dresses and handed them to Laurel to try on. The first two fit exactly like the blue dress, so those were out. But the last dress fit better than the others. It was an emerald green dress with sleeves that hung slightly over her hands and modest neckline. The back of the dress dipped lower than the previous three, nearly to the small of her back, but her hair would cover most of it. She came out of the bathroom to show Arwen the winning dress.

"You look absolutely radiant!" Arwen smiled. "Now we just have to find some shoes to match, finish your hair and then my father will be expecting us for dinner."

"Your father?" Laurel questioned.

"My father is Lord Elrond," Arwen clarified with a sweet smile. Laurel paled at that. She thought she had asked Elrohir to get a maid or servant, not Lord Elrond's daughter! Now she really must seem like a fool to them. Laurel sighed and ran her hands down her face. Today was not the best day.

"Try these." Laurel turned to find Arwen holding out a pair of green slippers that matched her dress. She eyed them warily, she hadn't worn shoes in hundreds of years. But if she was going to be a good guest, that meant wearing shoes. She begrudgingly slipped the small shoes onto her feet, not at all liking the way they pinched her toes.

"They're perfect," she lied. But Arwen seemed to believe her so she quickly steered her toward the vanity where she began brushing out Laurel's long hair. Laurel wondered why Arwen was here taking care of her like this and not a servant or maid of some kind, wasn't this kind of work below her station?

"Your hair is so beautiful," Arwen said with a smile. Laurel gave her a smile in return through the mirror.

"Thank you," she replied easily. She had done more talking to more people today than she had in a thousand years. Honestly, she was both loving it, and becoming tired from it at the same time. Arwen painstakingly brushed out every strand of her thick hair, letting it naturally form curls as it dried. When she was done, Arwen set the brush down and held out her hand for Laurel to take.

"Come, I will show you to the dining hall." Laurel took Arwen's hand and let herself be pulled along. They passed many winding hallways and down a large set of stairs before coming to a large, open hall with lofted ceilings and chandeliers of glittering crystal. There was a long table with a large buffet of food laid out for the many dinner guests in attendance. There were so many elves here! Laurel had never seen so many people all in one place before. She gazed around the hall, taking in the art that hung on the walls and the intricate moldings.

"Lady Laurel, I hope you are settling in well." Laurel looked over to see it was Lord Elrond who was speaking to her.

"Oh! Yes, thank you very much for your hospitality, Lord Elrond." She bowed her head slightly to him as well for an extra something, she had no idea how to interact with elves. Lord Elrond smiled softly and held out his arm to her to lead her to the dinner table.

"You must be famished from you trying day today. How long have you been away from home now?" he asked as he pulled out her seat for her. Internally, Laurel started to panic, why would he ask that? What if Saruman came to him already? Does he know I'm missing? Will Lord Elrond send me back to him if he finds out? Her head was spinning out of control with her erratic thoughts, until someone spoke, jarring her out of her downward spiral.

"Where do you hail from, Lady Laurel?" This time it was Elladan that spoke. He was seated across the table from her, grinning at the opportune seating arrangements. Oh no, how does she answer that? She didn't even remember where she was originally born.

"Stop asking her so many questions!" Elrohir chuckled. "Let her eat first and relax, I am sure she would rather do that than be interrogated after the horrid day she has endured." Elrohir glanced at her with a soft smile. He was seated directly to her left, and she gave him a grateful smile in return. But how long could she really avoid those questions? "How fared Imladris while I was away protecting our borders?" Elrohir jested, obviously at the expense of Elladan who had sat this last patrol out.

"Things have been well, no news to report of late," Lord Elrond took a sip from his wine goblet. "Oh, but I forgot to mention, Legolas Thrandulion will be visiting us shortly, he should arrive on the morrow." This apparently sparked excitement between the twins.

"This is excellent news! What business does Legolas have in Imladris?"

"King Thranduil has sent Legolas here as an ambassador to represent the Greenwood." Lord Elrond took another sip of wine. "But in truth, I believe he is tiring of his royal duties, seeing as Thranduil is grooming him to take over the kingdom once he sails West." Laurel was trying to keep up with all the names and places she was hearing about, but it was all rather confusing. Who was this 'Legolas' and what/where was the Greenwood?

"Lady Laurel, are you not hungry? You have yet to touch a single thing." A blond elf next to Elladan spoke. He was taller than the others, more broad in his shoulders, and had a more regal appearance than most. At present, he seemed to be watching her every move intently, eyes narrowed at her and an unmistakable air of superiority permeating his vicinity. Laurel glanced down at her empty plate, then at the dishes of food in front of her. She gingerly spooned some salad onto her plate, noticing that the blond-haired elf was still eying her.

Laurel took a deep breath and slowly gripped a fork, carefully handling it the way she had seen the others do. She stabbed at a piece of lettuce and slowly brought it to her mouth, not knowing what would happen if she ate it. She put the leaf in her mouth and made a show of chewing thoroughly and swallowing it. She looked over to the blond elf and he seem placated for now. However, now she didn't feel so good. Her stomach felt like it was flopping all over the place. Laurel quickly stood and excused herself, racing out of the hall. She had no idea where her room was, so she ended up emptying her stomach out an open window in one of the many hallways. She hated the disgusting feeling of that singular leaf in her stomach, she just wasn't made for that sort of thing. After taking some deep breaths and calming herself, she decided to wander about and see more of the place she would being staying in for a while.

A half hour later found Laurel in the stables. She had no idea how she wound up here, but she was glad she had! She found Elrohir's horse and greeted him with a soft pat on the neck. The horse whinnied in excitement at seeing her again and brought his head up to press against hers. She laughed lightheartedly and stroked his neck.

"Thank you for your help today," she thanked the stallion. She could feel the happiness radiating from the large dappled grey horse. She could tell how loyal he was to Elrohir and that the stable hands fed and treated them well. Laurel decided she had enough of these tiny elf shoes, so she shucked them off and opened the stall gate to sit with Elrohir's steed. She saw the halter hanging on the wall above the horse and read 'Celeg' engraved on one side.

"Celeg?" she tried out. The stallion neighed gleefully, stomping a hoof for emphasis. Laurel laughed and rubbed Celeg's neck. "If I'm not mistaken, Celeg is Sindarin for 'swift', are you a swift horse?" she spoke lovingly to the grey horse. He whinnied again, drawing another giggle from Laurel. She let out a yawn though as well, it was getting late and the sun had set long ago. She watched as Celeg laid down in the hay in a corner of his stall and Laurel sat down to lean against his side. "Thank you for being my friend," she whispered sleepily. It wasn't long before she was fast asleep, dreaming that tomorrow would bring a better day.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five:

Imladris, or Rivendell as the humans called it, was always a place Legolas could go when the burden of palace life and princely duties weighed heavily on his shoulders. He waved to the border guards as they allowed his small company passage through the large front gate. He loved his father, but he had no interest in ruling. Thranduil had been grooming Legolas to take over the kingdom since he was an elfling, but Legolas had much preferred adventure. That was where Elrohir and Elladan came in. Border patrol in the Greenwood, or Mirkwood as some now call it, had become increasingly more dangerous as evil filled the forest. He had growth tired of patrols, so when he pleaded with his father to allow him to travel to Imladris as an ambassador of sorts, really he only intended to spend his time causing trouble with Elrond's terrible twins. Legolas smiled to himself as he remembered all the mischief he caused with those two when he was younger. Crossing the bridge to the courtyard, he spied Elrohir and Elladan patiently awaiting to receive him and his traveling company.

"Legolas! How fare you, _mellon nin_?" Elladan embraced him after he dismounted, clapping him firmly on the shoulder, a bright smile on his face. Next, Elrohir did the same, greeting him in kind.

"We have missed you around here," Elrohir smiled. "Elladan has been causing enough trouble for the both of you since his injury. It appears bed rest does not suit him." The elf smirked over to his twin. It was true, Elladan has been giving his father considerable grief the past few months. He knew his brother wold much rather be with him on patrol, and his father would likely agree.

"It has been too long!" Legolas smiled at the two, missing their brotherly antics. "I look forward to the change of scenery. Imladris is always beautiful this time of year."

"It seems to be more beautiful than usual as of late, wouldn't you agree brother?" Elladan gave a devilish smirk as he prodded Elrohir with his elbow. Elrohir rolled his eyes. Legolas had a confused look on his face, so Elrohir opted to clarify.

"We have a guest staying with us currently," he provided, Legolas nodding in realization. "Elladan, would you send someone to fetch Lady Laurel? I am sure Legolas would like to make her acquaintance." As his twin stepped away he turned his attention back to Legolas. "I must speak with my father soon about the border patrols, but I can accompany you to the stables before I take my leave," he offered. Legolas smiled at his old friend, shaking his head at the offer.

"Thank you, _mellon nin_, go speak with your father, I would not wish for you to keep him waiting. I remember where the stables are, and I will come find you after your meeting." Elrohir gave him a smile and clapped his friend on the shoulder, turning and heading toward his father's study. The company of guards Legolas had travelled with had already stabled their horses and moved on to the dining hall while he reconnected with the twins. Legolas patted his large white horse on the neck and lead him over to where he remembered the stables to be.

The stables were nearly full to capacity with his guards horses added to those of the Imladris guards. The last remaining stall was at the very back, next Elrohir's steed. Legolas tugged lightly on the reins to lead his horse down the aisle to the stall. Before he reached the end, he spotted two small green slippers. Odd, he thought. Why were there a pair of elleths' shoes laying on the floor of the stables. Still deep in thought, he heard soft breaths coming from the stall to his left. But Elrohir's horse was not there. Legolas stepped closer to the stall and found the missing horse settled comfortably in the corner of the stall with a young woman in a green dress sleeping against his neck.

Legolas was transfixed by the sight. Elrohir's stallion had never been known to be an overly friendly sort, so this was quite a sight indeed! The young woman had deep brown hair that shimmered in the light, the ends of her curls resting on the straw beside her. Who was this elleth? He had never seen her before. Maybe she was a servant that fell asleep tending the horses? But then why was she dressed in a fine silken dress? Legolas cleared his throat.

Celeg, Elrohir's horse awoke, neighing at the familiar sight of Legolas. The sleeping woman suddenly jumped, heading whipping around her as if she did not know where she was. Her eyes finally focused and settled on him, going wide. She had bright, lime-green eyes, he noticed, something he had never seen before. The frightened woman dashed behind Celeg, who had moved to stand upon waking.

"I apologize for startling you, my lady, that was not my intention," Legolas quickly apologized. He really hadn't tried to scare her as much as he obviously had. He threw his horse's reins over a hook on the wall next to him and opened Celeg's stall door. The woman noticed his advance and quickly backed as far as she could into the corner. Legolas stopped. He didn't wish to spook her any further. She was more skittish than a wild mare. Legolas raised both his hands in a peaceful gesture, showing her he intended no harm.

"Please, my lady, I am truly sorry for frightening you. Please come out from there before you are injured by this horse. I have had many dealings with him, and he is a loyal steed, but not the friendliest one I have known," he said with a soft smile. Her bright green eyes studied him over Celeg's withers. It was clear that she didn't trust what he was saying. As a show of good faith, Legolas took a step back from her, watching her shoulders become a little less tensed at the gesture. "My name is Legolas, what is your name?" He smiled expectantly at her, but received no answer. She stood there silently, watching him. She held a hand up to the horse between them and closed her eyes for a moment. Celeg let out a whinny and she opened her eyes once more. She brought her gaze back to the elf in front of her.

"My name is Laurel," she said softly. Legolas' eyebrows shot up for a second. Wasn't that the name of the guest Elladan and Elrohir were talking about? He watched as she brushed some of her wavy locks behind her ear. She was human! Not an elleth at all! He appraised her form once more, taking in her rounded ears, soft, pink skin and slightly shorter stature than most elleths'. But, she didn't look like any human women he had ever seen. She was much more beautiful, taller than most, and had those mysterious green eyes, but now they were an emerald green instead of the bright lime-green they once were.

"Lady Laurel," Legolas bowed his head to her, "would you allow me to escort you to the dining hall? I believe Elladan and Elrohir are looking for you at present." That seemed to get her attention. Slowly she nodded, patted Celeg once more and moved out from behind him. Legolas smiled as she finally came up to him and he presented her his arm. She took it, looking up at the tall, blond elf. Laurel studied his face for a moment, taking in his elven features. His hair was so light of a blond it looked nearly white that hung down passed his shoulders, and his eyes were a grayish blue that reminded her of the sky outside her tower on cloudy days. He had a strong jaw and broad shoulders. He was not overly muscled, but it was clear that he had a strong build that denoted his many years of training and battle. Overall, he was a very handsome elf, the most attractive one she had seen yet, she decided to herself. Laurel glanced down at her feet, feeling a blush spreading across her cheeks.

"Were those your shoes in the aisle, Lady Laurel?" Legolas gestured outside the stall. Laurel's nose scrunched in dislike when he mentioned the shoes. She was also unsure about this 'Lady' title. She had never been called that by Saruman, and she knew she was not of noble birth and so undeserving of the title. She looked back up to the blond elf, nodding slowly in regard to the shoes. Stupid, uncomfortable shoes, she thought with a huff. Legolas guided her out of the stall and scooped up the aforementioned footwear.

"Here you are, my lady," he handed her the small, green slippers. "Excuse me for one moment as I stable my steed." Laurel gave a polite nod as she took the shoes from him. She stuffed her feet into the slippers, feeling the pinch of her toes. She groaned internally, realizing she would need to wear them almost constantly from now on. Legolas returned to her side, offering his arm again, which she took again, out of politeness of course. Laurel figured all elves must be extremely handsome or beautiful, she had yet to encounter one that was not.

Legolas glanced down at the young woman. She was very quiet. She had only said four words to him so far and he hoped it was not due to his carelessness in waking her from her slumber.

"Might I ask why you were in that stall, Lady Laurel?"

"Laurel," she interjected, looking straight ahead.

"What?"

"Just Laurel," she clarified. "I don't deserve the title, so I would prefer just 'Laurel'." Legolas gave a surprised look. But he conceded to honor her wishes, after all, he had introduced himself as 'just' Legolas and not 'prince' Legolas.

"Well then, 'just Laurel'," he gave her a smile as he glanced down at her, "Is Celeg better company than Lord Elrond's mischievous sons?" Laurel was still looking ahead, but she felt the corners of her lips lift in a small smirk. She liked this elf.

"On occasion," she answered, glancing up at him. His smile grew at her answer.

"Where are you from?" he asked. He watched her smile disappear suddenly. This made him frown as well. Had he offended her somehow? Maybe there was a bad memory attached to her home? "I apologize if I have offended you, my lady," he tried. She was about to correct him on the 'lady' thing again, but Elrohir appeared before she could.

"Ah you've found our guest I see!" Elrohir laughed. "Lady Laurel, where have you been? Elladan spoke to the servants and none of them said they saw you after dinner last night." Laurel looked down, a blush on her cheeks. She didn't realize so many people would notice her comings and goings so meticulously.

"Just Laurel, _mellon nin_," Legolas spoke up, drawing the other elf's attention. Elrohir gave him a confused look. "She prefers to be called 'Laurel' rather than 'Lady Laurel'," Legolas informed him, casting a small smile down tot he young woman.

"Oh! I had not known that," Elrohir glanced at Laurel. He was slightly put off by the notion that she had told that to Legolas after only just meeting him, but not to he who had rescued her and offered food and shelter. All three looked up when they heard Elladan coming toward them from down the hall.

"You've found her!" Elladan exclaimed, clapping his friend on the shoulder. "We had been worried, Lady Laurel!"

"Just Laurel," Legolas and Elrohir said in unison. Elladan glanced between the two then down to Laurel.

"Alright then!" he smiled, unfazed by this new information. "How does breakfast sound? Father is awaiting our arrival in the dining hall."

"That's alright, I'm not very hungry," Laurel spoke up. Legolas raised his brows at her answer. Not hungry?

"But you haven't eaten since you awoke earlier," Legolas said with concern.

"And you have not eaten since we found you yesterday afternoon," Elrohir added, a slight frown on his face. Laurel felt her face start to heat up. She slipped her hand off Legolas' arm and took a few steps away from the three elves.

"I-, um, I...," Laurel stammered, looking at their concerned faces. "Please excuse me." She quickly turned and hurried down a hallway to her left, leaving Legolas and the twins in the hallway, confused by her strange behavior. She had no idea where she was going. She still couldn't remember where her room was, she would have to ask a servant, if she could find one. Laurel walked up and down three different hallways before she spotted someone that resembled one of the maids here.

"Excuse me," she said softly, getting the maid's attention. "I was wondering if you could help me find my room, please?" The elleth gave her a smile and nodded.

"Of course, my lady. This way." Laurel followed after her. She was a tall, blonde elleth, and she carried a large basket full of what looked like bedsheets as she trotted down the hallway. She must have known who she was since she didn't ask her for her name and she seemed to know where she was going, and for that Laurel was grateful. After a minute or two, they rounded a corner and there was her room!

"You wouldn't happen to know if there are any tunics and a pair of breeches somewhere I can wear, do you?" she asked the made hopefully.

"I'll see what I can find," the maid said with a smile, hiking the laundry basket higher up on her hip and scurrying off down the hall to find what she asked for. Laurel smiled as she entered her room. Finally some time alone where she could avoid all these nosy elves! She sank onto the bed, which was far more comfortable than the stable floors, and let out a contented sigh. How much longer could she hide her secret from these elves? She couldn't answer any of their questions, that mean, blond elf at dinner practically forced her to eat that piece of lettuce. She shivered at the awful memory. And the twins had pieced together that she hadn't eaten anything since her arrival. She needed to leave before it was too late.

A knock at the door brought her back to reality. "Come in," she called, knowing it was probably the maid here to bring her the clothes she had asked for. The door opened and the tall, blonde elleth smiled, holding up three tunics and three sets of breeches for her. Laurels face lit up in a bright smile.

"Thank you very much!" Laurel said, offering her a genuine smile.

"You are most welcome, my lady" she nodded to Laurel and left the room to resume her duties. Laurel laid out the clothes on the large queen-sized bed and surveyed her options. Hmm, there was a brown tunic, a blue tunic and a green one. Oh, green, definitely! She put the green tunic to the side, then laid out the breeches. Grey, brown or slightly darker brown? She grabbed the lighter brown pair and the green tunic and headed for the bathroom. She quickly stripped off the green dress and the godforsaken slippers. Donning the tunic and pulling on the breeches, she felt normal again. This was much better, she sighed in relief.

She walked back out into the large room, going over to the window to see what she could she. There was a large stretch of gardens visible, only a short distance away, she only needed to find the door in this place that would let out into those gardens. Or, she smiled mischievously, she could just repeat her escape from her tower. Laurel spied some vines that were creeping up the stone walls outside her window. She stretched out her arm toward them, willing them to grow in her direction. The little green tendrils slowly crept toward her, moving their way over the smooth stones of the wall and curling around each other. Laurel guided the plants into the room, wrapping the ends around the foot of the bed.

Once she was satisfied that the vines were thick and strong enough, she propelled herself slowly down the wall, careful to watch for anyone that might see her. Once her feet hit the ground, she lovingly stroked the vines, sending them her gratitude. She took a deep breath, smiling to herself. She didn't get to practice with her gifts very often. She spotted the large waterfall in the distance that was beyond the gardens, so she headed in that direction. She marveled at all the colors and smells of Imladris' beautiful grounds. She had never seen this many plants before! She let her fingers brush against the different ferns and flowers as she walked, giggling at the ones that tickled her fingertips. She saw a large oak tree up ahead and walked over to it. Laying her hand against the bark, she could feel how content the tree was. It was happy here, Lord Elrond took very keen care of these gardens it seemed. She smiled softly at that. Lord Elrond was a very kind elf, she decided.

She spied a small plant next to the oak tree, just under the shadow of its large canopy of leaves. It was a beautiful plant, with large green leaves and wrinkled maroon flowers. She stroked its leaves, frowning when she felt suddenly weary, as if all her energy had been sapped from her body. She glanced up at the tree branches that cast shade over the little plant.

"That just won't do will it?" she said to the little plant. She walked back over to the the oak tree, laying her hand against its trunk once more. "Would you be so kind as to move some of your branches so our little friend here can get some sunlight?" She felt the tree understand her request and heard the groaning and creaking of the bark as its branches shifted. A strong beam of sunlight shone through the gaps in the branches, illuminating the little plant below. She grinned as she watched its leaves turn slightly toward the light and the wrinkled, maroon flowers opened up to reveal they were actually bright red flowers, all they needed was a little more light to reach their full potential. Someone cleared their throat behind her. Startled, Laurel whipped around to find Lord Elrond watching her, a small smile on his lips.

"Perhaps you would like to join me for a stroll."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six:

Laurel and Lord Elrond walked in silence for a while. The gardens seemed never-ending, but eventually they rounded a fountain and came upon a stone bench, which Lord Elrond gestured for her to take a seat on. Laurel nervously sat down. Her palms were starting to sweat and shake, her heart was racing and her breathing started to pick up.

"Be calm, my child," Lord Elrond said as he took his seat beside her. "You are very special," he said softly, taking her shaking hands in his. Laurel looked into his eyes, not sure what she would find there, but she hadn't expected sympathy. He had a soft, genuine smile, not at all appearing angry or mistrusting as she thought he might. Maybe he hadn't even seen anything, she reasoned.

"I saw what you did with that tree." Damn. Guess he did see that then. She shuffled uncomfortably, not sure what to say. He squeezed her hands for comfort before beginning. "I was in the dining hall, awaiting your arrival, when my sons expressed their concern over your lack of appetite, said that you ran off again, so I checked your room to see if I could help in any way." Laurel's cheeks began to heat up. It seems everyone knew now that she wasn't eating. "Do you know what I found in your room?" She stayed silent, wishing to just be thrown out already and to not have to endure this tongue lashing she was about to receive.

"I saw a rope of vines artfully twisted together to form a rope and a young woman trotting off into my gardens." He looked her in the face, drawing her attention up from the ground. "Is there something you would like to tell me, my dear?" Laurel had so many thoughts running through her head. Should she tell him? Should she not? Did Saruman know she was here now? Would he throw her out? Would they kill her? A stray tear streaked down her cheek before she could stop it. Lord Elrond let go of her hands, instead drawing her into a hug he clearly thought she needed. It was at that moment that she could hold the flood back no longer. Tears poured down her cheeks, her chest heaved with sobs as she buried her head in the elf's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry!" she weeped, hiccuping a few times. Lord Elrond rubbed her back in soothing circles before he let go and held her at arms length so he could see her face.

"What ever for, child?" he asked, wiping away another stray tear from her cheek. Laurel took in a shaky breath.

"I know I'm different, just please don't send me back to Saruman! I can't go back there! I ca-"

"Saruman?" he said in alarm. "What relation do have with the white wizard?" He took her hands in his again, this was obviously very hard for her. "You can tell me anything, child. I promise you that I will not judge you, nor reveal your secrets should you wish to keep them concealed. You have my word." Laurel looked into his eyes, seeing his concern for her, which she felt was genuine. She took a few deep breaths and steadied herself. It was a long and involved story, but she did her best to recount it to Lord Elrond. He listened attentively, his countenance never wavering.

By the end of her story she felt like an enormous weight had been lifted from her chest. She had never told that story to anyone before, and he wasn't attacking her, which was a good sign in her book! His eyes softened as he squeezed her hands.

"I am truly sorry for what Saruman has put you through, and I can assure you that your gifts are to be celebrated, not hidden. No one here would wish you harm. We will protect you and you are welcome to stay here for as long as you need. Although, I am not quite sure how to solve the debate surrounding your dining habits without revealing your story." He rubbed his chin in thought with one of his hands.

"Maybe, it would be okay.. if we told a few people.." she said hesitantly. Still not sure if the others were as trustworthy as Lord Elrond was.

"I think that would be an excellent idea, do you know who you would like to share this information with?" he asked with a smile, pulling her to stand. She thought about that for a moment. There were not very many elves here that she considered close enough to her to divulge her secrets, just yet. Lord Elrond could sense her hesitation.

"How about this, we tell no one about your gifts for now, and I will inform the others that you dislike large gatherings and feel more comfortable dining in your room. Does that sound fair?" Laurel nodded with a smile. Now she wouldn't have to explain herself anymore! Then another thought came to her mind.

"I am frequently asked where I am from, but I don't know where I was born, or even where that tower was. How do I answer those?" she asked. He gave a thoughtful pause before answering.

"Perhaps we can tell them you are from Bree. It is a human village close to the Shire. I believe that should suffice," he offered. Laurel nodded her head. It sounded like a good enough idea, as long as they didn't ask anything about Bree. She smiled at the old elf in front of her. The tree was right, Lord Elrond is a very good elf.

"Thank you, for keeping my secret, and for allowing me to stay," she embraced him once more, deciding she liked hugs. Saruman never hugged her as a child, or anytime after that, so these were new to her, but they were nice.

"Would you like me to escort you to your rooms?" he offered with a small smile, arm at the ready. Laurel smiled back, but shook her head.

"I think I want to find that waterfall I saw earlier." The elf smiled down at the young woman, happy to see her at ease.

"Walk just beyond those pine trees and then over the small stream and through the hedges, you should find it easily enough," he assured her. He straightened up, giving her one last glance before turning back to relay his message to the others in the dining hall. Laurel turned in the direction of the falls, solely based on the sound of the rushing water she could hear from where she was, and started walking.

It didn't take long for her to find the waterfall. Lord Elrond's instructions really helped. She had stretched out, laying in the soft grass next to the large, clear pond that the waterfall fed into. She smiled at the warmth of the suns rays on her face. Closing her eyes, she drifted to sleep, feeling better about her life today than she had in a very long time.

* * *

When Laurel awoke, she found herself surround by various animals. She let out a tinkling laugh and took stock of the new group of friends she had amassed. There were five deer, two of which had fawns with them, there were a few rabbits, some squirrels, a turtle or two, lots of different songbirds, and butterflies of course. She held a finger out for a little bluebird to perch on. It twittered happily in greeting, drawing a chuckle out of her. She turned her attention when she felt something cold nudge her arm. She saw one of the fawns to her left and reached out with her free hand to stroke its soft, spotted fur. The squirrels were chasing each other in a circle around her and a large orange and black butterfly rested on top of her head. She loved this part of her gift!

She spent a few hours just sitting there with her new furry, or scaly or feathery, friends, just chatting about her day and asking them what they thought about Imladris and the elves here. There was a general consensus that they liked it here. They weren't hunted, as the elves did not consume meat, and the grounds were well-looked after, so there was plenty of food and shelter to go around. Eventually the sun started to set in the sky and Laurel knew it was time to go. She waved goodbye to the animals and trekked back through the hedges and over the stream and through the gardens, to try and find her room again. She really needed to remember where that was. As she approached a large archway that connected the main halls to the garden, she ran straight into something very hard. Laurel stumbled back, the heel of her foot catching on the edge of a stair step and teetered backwards.

Whatever she ran into had fast reflexes and caught her before she could tumble down the stone steps. She opened her eyes to find herself staring up into the eyes of Legolas. Her breath caught for a moment. She blushed when she realized how close they were. Legolas had pulled her in close to his chest as he caught her, but soon released her now that he also realized the position he put them both in.

"Lad-, Laurel," he corrected, "I feel I must apologize for my behavior this morning." Laurel's eyebrows shot up at this. What did he have to apologize for now, she wondered. "I was unaware of your wish to distance yourself from your home in Bree. Lord Elrond explained to us that your reasons for leaving were your own and that you wished to keep that private. So I apologize if I had offended you."

"Oh!" Laurel picked up on the story Lord Elrond had weaved on her behalf. "That's alright, no harm was done," she assured him. Legolas smiled brightly at her.

"Would you like to join me in the Hall of Fire? Some of the others are there now," he offered with a grin. Laurel didn't know how she would feel around a bunch of people, and the hesitation showed on her face. Legolas' smile faltered a bit. "Or we could go for a walk in the gardens?" he asked instead.

"I appreciate the offer, Legolas," she gave him a sheepish look, "but I just came from the gardens and I think I just want to return to my room." Legolas masked the slight pang of dejection.

"Then at least allow me to escort you to you room," he offered, holding his arm out to her. Laurel smiled, now that was an offer she could accept, otherwise who knew how long it would take for her to find her room. She nodded with a grin and took his arm, letting him lead her through the halls.

"So, how are you liking Rivendell?" he asked as they walked.

"What is Rivendell?" Legolas stopped and look down at her in surprise.

"Rivendell is Imladris, I used the name Rivendell because that is the name usually used by your people, whereas elves refer to it as Imladris," he explained, walking down the hall again.

"Oh," Laurel said, casting her eyes down to her bare feet. "I didn't know that. I had only ever heard it referred to as Imladris. But I like it very much here. The elves are very hospitable, the gardens are beautiful, and the trees here are magnificent," she said with smile, remembering her time down by the waterfall and in the gardens.

"Well then, you would have loved to see the Greenwood in its prime," Legolas said with a sad smile.

"What is the Greenwood?"

"Perhaps you know it by its other name, Mirkwood," he said, somewhat dejectedly. "It has more trees than there are grains of sand on a beach. They are tall enough to touch the clouds, and the summertime brought the most beautiful wildflowers you could ever image."

"It sounds wonderful," Laurel glanced up at him, watching his sad small dissolve into a happier one.

"It was."

"Is is not anymore?" Legolas shook his head.

"A sickness has overtaken much of the forest," he explained. "Spiders stalk the forest, the air smells foul and thick. It is nothing like the Greenwood of old." Laurel saddened at the thought of the dying forest. She hoped she never had to see a sight such as that. Legolas stopped once they reached her door.

"How did you know where my room was?" she asked, slightly suspicious of how he knew exactly where to go.

"My room is right next to yours," he pointed down the hall to the next room on the right.

"Oh," she felt a tinge of redness creep onto her cheeks.

"I will leave you to rest, my lady," Legolas said with a slight bow. "If there is ever anything you might need, please do not hesitate to ask." Laurel nodded with a smile.

"Thank you, Legolas," she said, slipping into her room and shutting the door behind her. Legolas grinned to himself. He liked the way she said his name. But then a slap of realization hit him. What was he doing? Practically fawning over this human girl had had just met? This was not like him at all! Even if he did like this woman, there was no way his father would allow him to court her. It would be best for the both of them to keep their relationship as that of friends and nothing more. He nodded to himself and strode off to his room. Opening the door, he kicked off his boots and removed his tunic. He made his way to the bathroom, hoping a hot soak in the tub would help him calm his mind.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven:

Lord Elrond paced in his study. A young hobbit and his companions had graced his door step late last night. His daughter, Arwen, had rode furiously through the front gates, a limp and wounded Frodo Baggins in her arms. Estel, his adopted son, was not far behind with three more hobbits with him. When asked what brought them here, he became troubled to learn that black riders had been chasing them. He had never seen these creatures for himself, but Estel's description of them set him on edge.

He spent most of the midnight hours with Arwen, doing their best to heal the wounded hobbit, Frodo. His dark brown, curly locks were matted to his forehead with sweat, his tunic soaked in the black, poisoned blood, a morgul blade being the culprit. He was not entirely sure if he would survive the night, but it would seem the little halfling was full of surprises. As it happened, Frodo was recovering from the night's events in the company of the other hobbits. After things had calmed down, Gandalf the Gray, his old friend, had passed through their gates this morning. It would seem he had been imprisoned for a short time by the white wizard, Saruman. He was saddened to realize that they had lost an ally in Saruman. He had been a voice of reason and had lended them aid when necessary in the past. However, after learning of Laurel's prior relationship with the wizard, and now his betrayal of Gandalf, they could rely on him no longer.

Elrond steepled his hands in though once more as he turned about-face and retraced the path he had been pacing along the floor. He had sent the last of his messengers an hour ago. Once Gandalf had revealed why they were being hunted, he thought it necessary to inform those whose lives would now be affected. He was not certain yet who would answer his call, but the furthest message had gone to the kingdom of Gondor, and it would be a few weeks before an emissary arrived or a letter of refusal be delivered. A soft knock sounded at the door, stirring him from his pondering.

"Pardon me, old friend, but I was hoping I might have a word," the gravelly voice of the gray wizard came through the opening in the doorway. Lord Elrond gave a curt nod and bid the wizard enter. Gandalf produced his long pipe from his robes, lighting the end as he glanced out the window into the gardens. It was clear neither knew how to begin, but time was of the essence now and they needed a course of action planned-Quickly. Elrond let out a sigh, clasping his hands behind his back and turning to face Gandalf.

"These are trying times, _Mithrandir_," he began. "While I am glad to see Estel once again, I wish it had been under less severe circumstances." Gandalf nodded his agreement, blowing a gentle ring of smoke. The wizard paused for a moment, spying young Frodo and his companion Samwise talking on one of the balconies below them, and taking another long and pensive drag from his pipe.

"I am afraid that a great many things are about to change."

* * *

Laurel yawned and stretched her arms over her head. She smiled lazily, feeling the morning sun on her face, and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She had a renewed vigor and a more positive outlook on her life today. Lord Elrond knew her secret now, but she trusted him not to mention it to anyone without consulting her first. Lord Elrond's two sons and his daughter were all very nice and hospitable, as well as their friend, Legolas. She didn't quite know what to think about that blond-haired elf from the Greenwood. He was very handsome, she couldn't deny that, even with her lack of interaction with the opposite sex, but he showed a sort of strange interest in her. She knew that she wasn't as beautiful as Arwen, and probably all the other elleths, so it made no sense to her as to why he made an effort to escort her places and things of that nature. She shrugged her shoulders, it didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Soon he would return home and she would not see him again, which reminded her, she needed to figure out what she was going to do with the rest of her life. She couldn't possibly live here in Imladris forever.

She traipsed across the large room, twirling in circle with her arms out. She loved mornings. The birds chirping, the bright, eastern sun shining down on her, a light breeze... ahhhh there was no better time of the day. She cupped her hands together to splash some water on her face from the basin in her bathroom. She wiped the excess drops on a soft hand towel beside the unused chamberpot and slipped out of her pajamas. She pulled on the gray breeches and light-blue tunic and paused for a moment, contemplating her wardrobe. She had been a lot more active lately than she ever had before, and so she had no need for any female-specific clothing items. At times, her breasts would feel sore if she ran or jumped or did anything besides walk. She needed to find out what other women here did to prevent such things.

She opened her door, starting off down the hallway, her ultimate goal finding the gardens from the large halls, she couldn't always rappel down the wall outside her window. Someone might see, and that would lead to more problems than she was prepared to deal with. She turned a corner, almost body -lamming someone in the process. Startled, she took a step back and looked up to see who she had run into.

"Lady Laurel," an indifferent voice clipped. She saw that the elf before her was the same elf that had been so rude to her at the dinner she had attended upon her arrival. He was dressed in a light-tan tunic with silver designs embroidered on it, his golden-blond hair falling to the middle of his back with a few braids keeping the stray strands away from his face. He had sharp, striking features and a look in his ice-blue eyes that made her feel insignificant.

"oh, um, good morning...?" she trailed off, not knowing his name.

"Glorfindel," he supplied, his lips pressed together in a hard line. "It is fortunate that we crossed paths when we did, I was on my way to fetch you from your chamber."

Laurel scrunched her nose and gave a confused look. "Why?" Glorfindel leveled an impatient look at the small woman in front of him.

"Lord Elrond has tasked me with your training, and I feel I must also apologize for my behavior at dinner the other night. I was not aware of your predicament and it was discourteous of me to impugn your honor by questioning your actions, and so I ask your forgiveness." Laurel stared blankly at the elf for a moment or two, collecting her thoughts.

"I, uh, I forgive you, although I don't hold it against you," she blushed slightly, glancing at the ground and then back up to face him. "And what's this about training? I don't need to train for anything."

"Lord Elrond has asked me to assess your skills and to train you in areas of inadequacy. The world has suddenly become more dangerous and your fate is uncertain, meaning that you could be put into a position where you would need to protect either yourself or others. That is why I am here." His deadpanned tone made it clear that there would be no more questioning.

"Okay,' she complied with a small sigh. "Where do we start?"

"With shoes," came his clipped response, causing Laurel to glance down at her bare feet. He strode around her and began striding down the hallway in the opposite direction she had been going. Turning on her heel, she quickly caught back up to him.

"Where are we going?"

"We are going to find a servant to fetch you some suitable boots," he replied, still looking straight ahead. They turned another corner and found a maid walking their way from the other end of the corridor. Glorfindel politely requested she find Laurel a pair of boots in her size. The maid nodded her head and quickly strode away to fetch her shoes. Laurel, however, walked up to her before she got very far, getting her attention.

"Excuse me," her cheeks blushed furiously, "but I was wondering if there are any clothing items that can keep things in place? You know, for women." She gestured to her chest area, seeing the maid realize what she was talking about.

"Of course, my lady, I will have something brought to your room." Laurel thanked her with a smile. They waited approximately five minutes before she returned with a pair of elleths' boots in hand. Laurel slipped them on, not caring for the tightness in the heel or around her toes, but she told herself that this would be the new norm and she would have to suffer through it. She turned her feet this way and that, feeling out the boots before noticing the Glorfindel had already started walking away. She quickly jogged back up to him .

"What now?" she asked, falling into step beside him.

"We are going to Lord Elrond's study." Laurel nodded, looking forward as they walked at a brisk pace. He was a hard person to keep up with. After a minute or two, they came upon the large wooden doors leading to the study. Glorfindel gave a few firm knocks, announcing their presence and Lord Elrond's voice bade them enter. As they walked into the room, Laurel spotted a tall figure in long, gray robes, a large wooden staff in hand. The man turned toward them and Laurel's face lit up in a bright smile.

"Gandalf! You are okay!" she said in surprise and relief. He had escaped from Isenguard somehow! The wizard gave her a small smile.

"And who might you be?" his deep voice grumbled, a twinkle in his light gray eyes. Oh no, she thought. She forgot that Gandalf had never met her before. Her smile dropped instantly and she moved to take a step back.

"Please, my dear," Lord Elrond came up to her, "I feel it would be most helpful if we were to inform _Mithrandir_ of your identity." She looked up at the dark-haired elf nervously, then up to Glorfindel, realizing that he was still here.

"Glorfindel, too?" she sighed. Lord Elrond gave her comforting look, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I believe it would be best if they both knew. Glorfindel is my most trusted advisor, there is not a more trustworthy elf that you could put your faith in," he said confidently. Laurel highly doubted that. Glorfindel seemed strict and condescending, not really the type of person she would consider spilling her secrets to.

"If you think this is a good idea, then okay," she said, nodding to Lord Elrond. He ushered her to take a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk, turning to face Gandalf and Glorfindel. He explained to them Laurel's situation and her talents, he explained Saruman's involvement and her desire for their discretion.

"My dear," Gandalf started, taking a long drag of his pipe, "might I ask how you managed to travel such a distance by yourself unharmed?" Of all the things that had just been revealed to them, she was not expecting that question to arise first.

"Oh," she rubbed her arm and glanced up at the wizard. "Well, I just asked a few birds to fly ahead of me and warn me if anyone was coming. If they chirped in a particular way, I would hide behind a tree or a grassy slope to avoid danger," she explained. Gandalf smiled at her and nodded in understanding.

"If you wish for your talents to remain a secret," Glorfindel began from behind her, "then we will need to find a place for you to train and practice away from prying eyes." Laurel nodded absently in understanding and agreement. She was more concerned with what they thought of her now. Do they accept her now as Elrond did? Seeming to read her mind, Lord Elrond spoke up.

"Laurel, Glorfindel, _Mirthrandir_ and I accept you for who you are, and you need not worry about their intentions now that they are privy to your past." Laurel glanced around at them, seeing Glorfindel bow his head to her in agreement. Gandalf gave her a knowing smile and his blue eyes twinkled slightly as he brought his pipe to his lips again. She felt a little more at ease now. She hadn't anticipated so many people knowing her secret, but she supposed these people were trustworthy, and everything would be okay.

"But, is training really necessary?" she asked, she was already very skilled in archery and dagger-throwing. She didn't feel the need to practice anymore.

"Unfortunately, yes." Lord Elrond gave a stern look. "Mithrandir has arrived on the wings of bad news, I'm afraid. Black riders are searching for something, and Saruman has been breeding an army of orc-like soldiers. There are many dangers crawling down from the mountains and from the cracks in the earth. There is no better time than now to perfect your skills and prepare for the unexpected." He stalked back over to his desk, gathering some papers and organizing them. It was clear their meeting was coming to a close.

"Alright," she huffed, standing to leave.

"I hope to see you again soon, Lady Laurel and discuss a great many things, if you would be willing to indulge an old man his curiosity." Gandalf raised an eyebrow at her. Laurel gave him a soft smile nodding to him.

"Of course, Gandalf. And I'm glad to see you well after your ordeal with Saruman. I saw what had happened from the blue butterflies you sent out after your capture."

The wizard looked surprised for a moment, then gave her a thankful smile, lightly bowing his head to her in thanks. "And I am also gladdened to see you free from his hold as well, my dear." Glorfindel gestured toward the door, catching her attention. Laurel said goodbye to Gandalf and Lord Elrond, walking out of the study and following Glorfindel again as he strode down the hallway.

"Where are we going?" she asked up to him.

"Somewhere more private than the training grounds," he explained, eyes ahead. Laurel tagged along after him as they weaved their way out onto the training grounds and then beyond, into the forest. They ducked under a few branches and crossed over a small stream before they came upon a small glen.

"This will suffice," he announced. Laurel looked around, seeing how much room they had to work with.

"Interesting..." Glorfindel murmured. She turned around to see what he was talking about, when she noticed that a few animals had started to gather around them. She could see the faint shadows of deer along the treeline and felt a small, yellow bird perch on her shoulder. Laurel laughed and held out her hand for the bird to hop onto.

"Can you and your friends keep watch for anyone approaching this glen, please?" she asked politely. The bird trilled happily and puffed out its feathers. Laurel smiled and stroked its soft feathers before letting it fly off into the trees. She turned her attention back to Glorfindel when she heard him clear his throat.

"That is truly a magnificent gift, my lady," he admitted. "Yavanna has blessed you with something very special." Laurel watched the corner of his mouth twitch upward in the faintest semblance of a smile. Her own mouth widened in a smile at his praise. It was nice to hear those words from someone who she had originally thought despised her.

"Thank you," she said, redness tinting her cheeks. She watched the blond elf march back the way they had come, signaling for her to stay put.

"Now that we have found a training location, I need to fetch some supplies. Stay here, I will only be a few minutes." Laurel nodded and moved to sit down in the grass. A lady bug buzzed around her head and landed on her nose, drawing a giggle from her. She glanced down as a soft little rabbit rubbed its head against her arm. She smiled and scooped up the fur ball, placing it in her lap and stroking its soft fur. She was lost in thought, playing with the animals that had gathered around her, and didn't notice Glorfindel's return.

"Amazing," he breathed. Laurel's head snapped up, a large grin on her face and her arms full of rabbits and squirrels.

"They just seem to find me anytime I'm outside," she chuckled, letting the animals down and standing up, brushing the dirt off her pants. "Go on now, I have some training to do apparently!" she laughed and watched them scatter back into the tree line. Glorfindel walked across the glen, about one hundred yards, and placed a medium-sized hay target on a tree trunk. He made his way back to her and handed her a bow and a quiver of arrows.

"Alright, let's see where you stand in regards to archery." He lead her across the glen to stand twenty yards from the target. "Show me your stance." Laurel sighed internally. She had excellent form and excellent aim, for a human that is. Regardless, she took the quiver, slinging it over her shoulder, and took the bow from his outstretched hand. She turned her body to the side, head toward the target. She brought the bow up, pulling back on the bowstring and notching an arrow. Glorfindel walked in a slow circle around her, nodding his head.

"This elbow is too high," he noted, tugging her right elbow down a fraction of an inch. Laurel huffed indignantly, her form was fine, he was just being rude, she thought. She closed her eyes and took a breath. She slowly opened her eyes, focused on the target and loosed the arrow, feeling the fletching brush her cheek as it sailed through the air. It sunk into the center of the target with an audible thwack. She looked over to Glorfindel who seemed almost disbelieving that the arrow had made a bullseye.

"Let's try further back," he announced, ushering backwards thirty yards so that she was a total of fifty yards away from the target. Laurel repeated her process and listened in triumph as the arrow made another soft thud in the center of the target, nearly on top of her previous arrow. The blond elf rubbed a hand over his chin in thought.

"Move back fifty yards," he instructed. Now one hundred yards away, Laurel could hit the target, probably the bullseye, but not with the greatest accuracy anymore since her eyesight was the limiting factor now. She took a deep breath and released the arrow. She couldn't hear the sound it made this time, but instead they both walked over to the target to inspect her work. The arrow had landed half an inch from her previous two. Laurel gave Glorfindel a satisfied smirk.

"How was that?" she asked with a knowing smile. The elf looked down at her with pursed lips.

"Satisfactory." He turned and pulled the arrows off of the target, returning them to the quiver and taking the bow and quiver back from her. He set the quiver and bow on the ground, and now picked up two small daggers. "These are next," he said dryly, handing her the twin blades. Laurel smiled and trotted back to the twenty yard mark, repeating what she had done with the arrow. The only difference now was that she didn't have the strength to launch the blades from over fifty yards.

"Lets emphasize speed and accuracy at shorter distances with the daggers." Laurel nodded and watched as Glorfindel hung five more small targets on trees around them. He assigned each one a number and then handed her a piece of cloth. "Put this on," he instructed. Laurel hesitated a moment before slowly bring the cloth to her eyes. She felt his fingers brush hers as he took the ends of the blindfold and tied a small bow at the back so that it would release quickly.

"Spin."

"What?" she asked, confused. He placed the two daggers back in her hands and stepped away from her. "Spin in a circle until I tell you to stop. When I do, I will call out two numbers at random and I want you to strike those targets with as much speed and accuracy as you are able.

"Alright," she said, starting to spin in place. Glorfindel let her spin for a while, probably enjoying watching her spin around like a fool.

"Stop!" he called, and Laurel screeched to a halt, ripping her blindfold loose. "Two and five!" She oriented her self and quickly slung both blades toward their respective targets, each one landing dead center with a satisfying thud.

"Excellent," Glorfindel said from beside her. Laurel smiled up at him, pleased with herself. They continued on like that for another hour or two. She practiced rapid-fire archery, blade throwing and hand-to-hand combat, which wasn't her strongest skill since she had only ever practiced against Saruman.

"I think we are done for today," Glorfindel announced. He started to gather up their supplies and targets. "Meet me here tomorrow at sun-up. We will work more on your close combat skills and also begin training with a sword."

"A sword? Why?" she asked suddenly. She had never even held a sword before. Saruman had never allowed it.

"So that you can protect yourself," he stated, walking back over to her. "How will you defend yourself when an orc swings his crude, heavy blade down on you?"

"Um," she stammered, no good answer coming to her mind.

"Orcs are filthy creatures," he spat. "They will do terrible things to you if you are captured by them and they will not think twice before slaughtering a young woman. You need to protect yourself with more than arrows and daggers." Laurel cast her eyes down to her feet, toeing her boot into the soft soil.

"You did well today." Laurel's head shot up at that. "I had expected much less from you, and I must admit that your skill level is better than I could have hoped to start with. All it needs is a little refining and we will add the sword." Feeling a little better now, Laurel smiled. They walked back toward the main gardens and over the training grounds. She saw Lord Elrond's two sons, Legolas, and another man sparring on the training fields. The new man looked human like her, but much older, maybe around forty and with shoulder-length ragged brown hair. She didn't linger on the sight as they walked up the steps and into a large corridor. Glorfindel gave her directions back to her room and she strode off in search of a well-deserved nap.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight:

Laurel awoke from her nap to a light rapping on her door. She had always been a light sleeper. She yawned and padded over to the door, opening it to find the maid that had given her the pair of boots earlier that day.

"I have brought you the clothing item you requested earlier, my lady," she explained. Laurel nodded to the elleth and moved aside so that she could enter the room.

"Thank you, I had almost forgotten about that."

"Lady Arwen assisted us in the sizing. She explained that some of the dressed had not fit you when you first arrived, and adjustments would be needed." The maid held up a woven shirt of sorts that had two straps instead of sleeves and the back was held together by ties that criss-crossed a few times like a corset might. Laurel took the item from her and went to try it on. She had to lace the strings behind her back, which took some time, but she eventually figured it out. Overall, it fit quite well, not too tight, but not loose enough to where it wouldn't keep things in place. She glanced at her reflection in the small mirror, satisfied with what she saw and slipped a fresh tunic over her head.

"It fits wonderfully!" she thanked the maid as she reentered the room. She nodded her head to Laurel, and turned to go.

"Shall I take these clothes to be washed and bring a few clean pairs of tunics and breeches?" Laurel smiled and nodded her head quickly. It would seem most of the serving staff had realized that she preferred tunics and pants to the fine dresses that all the elleths here wore. Laurel stretched out her arms as the maid left the room. Her muscles felt stiff after her nap, she wasn't used to all this activity and training. She felt tired, actually tired, for the first time in many years. But that was nothing a few hours in warm sun couldn't cure! She begrudgingly pulled on her new boots, trying her best to acclimate to the feeling.

Walking out of her chamber and into the hallway, she did her best to remember the way down the the lower level and out to the gardens. She took a few wrong turns here and there, but after a while she had found the large archway with the stone steps that descended toward the gardens. Laughter and the padding of running feet caught her attention. She glanced to the right and saw a group of four children running around a large fountain and coming straight for her. Backing up a few steps, she studied them in confusion. It had been easily hundreds of years since she had seen actual children outside of book illustrations, but these children looked strange to her. They had overly large feet and faces that looked aged beyond that of a child's.

Once they grew closer and saw her standing close to the stairs they skidded to a stop, one of them falling and bowling two more of them over. The one left standing had dark brown curls atop his head and dark blue eyes. He was staring at her in surprise and quickly motioned for his companions to pick themselves up off the ground. The halflings righted themselves and looked up at her, only about ten feet away from her at this point.

"Hello, my name is Frodo," the brown-haired one said with a shy smile. He tapped the arms of his friends as he introduced them to her. "This is Samwise Gamgee," the shy, sandy-blond haired one waved to her. "And these two are Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrine Took." Laurel watched the last two bow their heads to her in greeting.

"We prefer Merry and Pippin, if you please," one of them said, Merry she guessed.

"What's your name, Miss? We're still tryin to learn all the names and such, and, well, we haven't seen you before," the one named Samwise explained.

"I'm Laurel," she supplied. "I just arrived in _Imladris_ a few days ago, myself. When did you all arrive? And, if it's not too rude to ask, what are you exactly? Because you don't look like children, but you don't look entirely human either."

"I think she means Rivendell," one of them whispered.

"Oh! We're hobbits, Miss!" Frodo smiled to her. "And we only arrived last night. We were being chased by these terrifying riders in black." He gave a shudder at the memory.

"Frodo here was stabbed by one of their poisonous blades!" Pippin interjected. Sam elbowed him in the ribs, making a face that seemed to say not to reveal all their secrets. Laurel looked over to Frodo in surprise. She had heard about these riders just this morning from Lord Elrond.

"Are you alright?" she asked, concerned.

"I think so," he rubbed his side absentmindedly. "Although, I feel like it is a wound I'll carry with me for some time." She nodded her head in understanding, feeling sorry for the small hobbit. She couldn't imagine what he had been through. And yet, the small band of them were still cheerful after the fact.

"We were just heading to the dinning hall for some lunch, if you would like to join us," Frodo smiled up at her. Laurel gave them a weak smile and side stepped a few paces to the left, inching toward the garden.

"Um, that's alright, I'm not too terribly hungry at the moment," she explained.

"Well, we hope to see you another time then!" Frodo seemed to be the most talkative one and a sort of spokesperson for their small group. Laurel smiled politely and took her leave. She hurried off into the gardens before she could run into anyone else. Finding the waterfall and the large, clear pond that she loved so much, she smiled and sank down into the lush grass. Like the last time she was here, she heard the rustling of the bushes nearby, knowing that the forest animals would join her in the sunshine. As predicted, a few deer emerged from the trees, a couple fawns with them. Rabbits, chipmunks, turtles from the pond, and brightly colored birds gathered around her. She held a hand out to one of the little yellow birds and watched as it perched on her small index finger.

"How are you today, little one?" she asked cheerfully. The bird chirped and she saw a band of orcs roving through the trees. It looked like they were close to Imladris and setting up what looked like an ambush.

"When did you see this?" she asked in a panic, letting the bird feel her sense of urgency. The bird sent her its own sort of feeling and she interpreted it as around a half hour. They could be just outside the city walls, she realized. Elrohir could be out there patrolling! She scrambled to her feet, quickly running back toward the gardens and the training fields. Glorfindel, that's who she needed to find! Running as fast as her legs could carry her, she ducked under branches and hopped over fallen logs and rocks. She could see the training fields just up ahead next to the gardens.

From where she was, she could make out a tall blond figure in a green tunic. Glorfindel! She gave a sigh of relief as she would not need to hunt him down. She sprinted on and made her way up to the elf. Just as she neared him, about five feet away, he turned around and Laurel skidded to a stop, losing her balance and crashing into him. The blond elf caught her, a surprised look on his face, and helped right her.

"Oh," she panted, out of breath. "Legolas. I'm sorry, I thought you were Glorfindel." Legolas' face dropped a fraction at her words.

"Glorfindel? I was not aware the two of you were so well acquainted." He dropped his hands from her arms. Laurel glanced around the training fields, looking for the other blond elf she was searching for.

"Have you seen Glorfindel? I need to speak with him immediately!" she rushed, her cheeks flushed from running. Legolas' face was expressionless as he glanced down at the woman in front of him.

"I am sorry to say I have yet to see him today. Perhaps he has returned to patrol duty at the borders," he suggested. Laurel shook her head, still looking around.

"No, no, I was with him all morning, he couldn't have returned to the borders yet." Legolas' eyebrows shot up before he schooled his expression once more.

"Why were you with Glorfindel this morning?" he asked with a hint of suspicion. Laurel sighed and looked up at the elf in front of her.

"It, uh, it doesn't matter," she grumbled, getting frustrated. "I just need to find him." She realized she was wasting time by talking to Legolas, so she dodged around him and began to jog back towards the gardens. Legolas' eyes followed her as she went, his lips in a tight line.

"_Mellon_?" a voice from behind him spoke. Legolas turned to see Estel watching him closely. "Who was that woman?"

"No one," he clipped, notching an arrow and firing it mercilessly at the target.

* * *

Laurel had been directed by a servant that Glorfindel was in Lord Elrond's study and gave her directions. She stumbled her way down the halls and finally found the large wooden doors to the study. She burst through the doorway without knocking, her chest heaving for air.

"Lady Laurel!" Lord Elrond said in surprise. He looked up from his desk where he and Glorfindel had been going over plans of some kind.

"Glorfindel!" she gasped, catching her breath. "The borders.. Orcs... the bird told me.." she panted.

"Orcs?" Glorfindel rose from his position by Lord Elrond and strode over to her. "What about orcs?" Laurel took a deep breath and explained what she saw from the little yellow bird in the small meadow.

"The bird saw a band of orcs laying an ambush, maybe an hour ago? I recognized where they were, and they looked to be close to the borders."

The blond elf quickly called out to Lord Elrond behind him. "I will warn the guards." He strode out of the room at speed. Laurel followed him as closely as she could, beginning to run out of energy. She trailed behind him as he called for a servant to ready his horse.

"Let me come with you!" she called from behind him, gulping for air and her legs burned with the effort of keeping pace.

"No! Stay here!" he snapped. They came out into the courtyard and he quickly mounted his large white horse in a single leap.

"Please! I can ask the birds where they are and help you find them," she pleaded. Glorfindel paused for a moment, looking over his shoulder at her. He groaned and ran a hand down his face.

"Fine." He turned his horse and leaned down, wrapping an arm around her waist and hoisting her up into the saddle in front of him. He kicked the horse's flank and they took off, galloping toward the front gates. Laurel felt him wind an arm around her waist, pulling her tight against his chest as they rode at breakneck speed. As they tore down the path to the gates and passed the gardens and training fields, she caught sight of Legolas and the strange man she had seen earlier that day after her training. Legolas' eyes caught hers and a scowl of displeasure graced his face. Laurel was confused by his behavior, she thought Legolas liked her. Shaking the moody elf from her mind, they rode on, reaching the borders in record time. Glorfindel helped her dismount and he called over to the guards while she ran to the nearest tree and searched for a bird or squirrel or something. She heard the twittering of a bird and spotted a brown and white one perched in a high branch. She held out a hand and called out to it. The little bird flew down to her and hopped onto her hand.

"Please," she begged, "help me find the group of orcs!" The bird took off instantly and she walked back over to where Glorfindel was talking with three guards.

"A patrol is currently beyond these walls, Elrohir and Elladan among them," the guard informed them. Glorfindel's jaw clenched tight.

"When did you last see them?"

"Half of an hour I would guess. The patrols just switched not too long ago." As they spoke, Laurel felt the little brown bird perch on her shoulder. She saw from the bird's eyes the orc pack, maybe twenty or thirty of them, concealed behind a rocky ridge that was littered with trees and a trail that ran just below.

"Glorfindel," she called. The elf whipped his head around, spotting the bird on her shoulder. He took hold of her upper arm and pulled her to the side away from the guards.

"What did you find out?" he asked firmly. She relayed to him what she had seen to the best of her ability. He gave a curt nod and returned to the guards.

"There is an ambush of twenty to thirty orcs waiting behind a rocky ledge about two miles North of here. I will need ten guards to accompany me, we leave now!" The border patrol guards sensed the urgency in his voice and scrambled down from their posts to their horses tied up below.

"Stay here," he barked, mounting his horse again and riding out through the gates. Laurel was left at the gate with around seven guards. Just then, she heard the heavy beats of horses hooves from behind her. Twisting around, she saw Legolas and the man he was with earlier riding up to the gates.

"What has happened? I saw Glorfindel leave with a group of guards." Legolas dismounted as he addressed the nearest guard.

"He said there was a band of orcs waiting in ambush for the patrol."

"How did he know of this ambush?" Legolas pressed.

"I know not, your highness." Laurel's head whipped around to Legolas. Your highness? Legolas' eyes caught hers for a moment, his lips pursed in a hard line.

"My lord, Glorfindel left his woman behind, perhaps she should be escorted back to the city," the guard suggested, eyeing her. His woman? She was not anyone's woman! She clenched her jaw in anger.

"Of course," Legolas replied curtly. "Estel, could you bring Lady Laurel back to her rooms?" Laurel felt hurt for a moment, he had called her 'Lady Laurel' when he knew she preferred just 'Laurel'. What changed in him to make her lose his favor? She glanced up at him, a hurt look on her face.

"No! I'm staying here." Legolas frowned at her declaration.

"You will return with Estel, I will not have you in danger," he snapped. Laurel felt her cheeks flush in anger. Legolas took a half step back when he watched her emerald-green eyes slowly turn to near-black. His glare transformed into a look of shock and confusion.

"I can take care of myself and I will wait here until Glorfindel returns," she practically growled. She had not been so angry in all her life! She felt the tips of her fingers start to tingle and her vision began to blur. She was burning up and wavered on her feet, seeing spots. This wasn't good, she thought. She was running out of energy. She used up all she had when she ran all over Imladris to find Glorfindel and from training that morning. Her eyes drooped and she took an unsteady step backward. Legolas immediately noted the change in her and stepped forward just in time to catch her.

"Laurel!" he called to her, holding her to his chest. Laurel opened her hazy eyes and made out the silhouette of a very blurry Legolas. She wanted to say something but she had no energy left. She let her eyelids flutter closed.

"What's happened, _mellon_?" Estel called from behind him, swinging down from his saddle. Legolas held the young woman tightly to his chest as he looked up at his friend.

"I do not know, she seemed fine and then fainted suddenly. She is still breathing and I can hear her heartbeat." Estel looked down at the pair. He watched his old friend with the brunette woman, her long, wavy hair draping over his arm to brush the ground with its length. She was truly a sight. He could see why Glorfindel and Legolas shared an interest in her. He was unaware of her relationship with Glorfindel, having not yet met the young woman, but according to Legolas she had only arrived a couple days ago. It seemed strange for her to build such a strong bond with an elf such as Glorfindel in that short of time. He saw their interaction on the training field when she had confused him for Glorfindel, and he could tell that had greatly upset him. He had never seen his friend take such an interest in someone like this before.

Legolas stood up, the woman, Laurel, in his arms. Her head was tucked into the crook of his neck and he could feel her soft breath against his skin. He positioned her so that he held her up with one arm and swung back up into the saddle. He situated her so that her legs dangled to one side and her back rested against his chest. He wrapped his arms about her waist and grabbed his horse's reins.

"Let us return to the city," he called to Estel. As the brown-haired man swung up into his own saddle, they heard hoof beats in the distance.

"Open the gates!" a voice called from beyond the wall. The remaining guards on the wall scrambled to open the large gates to reveal Glorfindel, Elladan, Elrohir and a whole host of guards, some of which were wounded and weary. Black blood stained their swords and armor, making it clear they had found the orc ambush. Glorfindel spotted the unconscious Laurel in Legolas' arms, and quickly brought his horse up beside them.

"What happened?" he demanded, anger filling him.

"She fainted," he explained, glancing down at the woman. "What happened with the patrol?"

"A band of orcs ambushed them, thankfully our reinforcements arrived in time. We dispatched the foul creatures and no lives were lost." Glorfindel eyed the way Legolas was holding Laurel, deciding that it was much too familiar a gesture. "Give her to me," he demanded, leveling a cold stare. Legolas hesitated. He wanted to look after her, not hand her over like some burden for someone else to carry.

"Now, Prince Legolas," Glorfindel ground out, his temper beginning to show. Legolas grit his teeth and loosened his grip on the woman, letting Glorfindel reach over and hoist her out of his saddle to settle her on his own. Laurel mumbled softly in her sleep, drawing their attention.

"Laurel," Glorfindel called out to the sleeping woman. "Can you hear me?" Laurel's eye fluttered open a fraction of an inch, just enough to recognize Glorfindel and his voice.

"Mmm, Glor..." she trailed off. She took in a deep breath, letting out a long, sleepy sigh. "Tired..." Glorfindel's expression softened slightly.

"Tell me what what you need t_ithes lissuin_."* Legolas watched the interaction with his hands clenched tightly around his reins. He did not completely understand the feelings he had for this woman, but it was clear that she had some sort of relationship with the old, blond warrior. He saw Laurel's hand gently grip Glorfindel's sleeve.

"Sun," she mumbled sleepily. Legolas was confused by her answer. She needed a son? From Glorfindel? He felt his jaw tense with so much force he was worried he might chip some of his teeth. Glorfindel nodded to her, seeming to know what she was asking for. He called behind him to Elrond's sons, giving them instructions and advising them to inform their father of the recent events. He wrapped his arms tighter around Laurel and Legolas watched as her hair streamed down over his arm and nearly reached the stirrup with its length. Oh how he just wanted to run his fingers through those luscious waves.

Glorfindel prodded his horse into motion, galloping off toward the city, except that before he reached the courtyards he turned to the right, heading into the trees where he knew a small meadow lied. Legolas felt his blood boil when he thought of what Glorfindel was about to do with the young woman. It would appear he had severely misjudged the situation. She was only interested in Glorfindel, not him, and it would stand to reason that he should waste no more time thinking about her.

* * *

Glorfindel rode into a small meadow, slowing his horse and carefully dismounting with Laurel in his arms. He made sure that he picked a sunny spot to sit down and waited, absently stroking her hair away from her face. She was a striking young woman, he had to admit. Well, that wasn't entirely true. According to her story, she was at least a thousand years old, if not more. So technically that made her a striking, old woman.

He would never admit this to anyone, but he secretly regretted never settling down and starting a family. When she shared her past with him and he took responsibility of her training and safety, he couldn't help but feel that she was almost like a daughter to him. He wanted to keep her safe, and when he saw her limp body in the arms of the young prince, he had seen absolute red. He did not trust the elven prince nor his motives. Laurel was naïve to the attentions of men and would be easy pickings for a charismatic and charming prince like Legolas Thranduilion.

He sat there in the grass for a while, noticing that butterflies had started to flutter around them. He watched in amazement at the sight before being drawn to the tree line where other woodland animals were watching them closely. The corner of his lips drew up in a small smile. She was truly unlike anyone he had ever met. After a few more minutes he felt her begin to stir.

"What happened?" her voice rasped, blinking as the light shone into her eyes.

"Legolas said that you fainted," he reminded her. Legolas? She tried to remember what had happened after Glorfindel left.

"Oh, right," she recalled. "He told me to go back to my rooms, and I told him no. I just remember becoming so angry, angrier than I have ever been. My vision went blurry and I felt really hot. My hands were tingling. It was a frightening experience that I hope never happens again." She started to sit up and Glorfindel released her from his arms. "Did you find the orcs?" she asked with a yawn.

"We did. The patrolling party had just fallen into the ambush when we arrived and we were able to cut down every orc with no casualties of our own. You saved many lives today." Laurel's eyes widened. She had never saved anyone before! She liked the way that felt, to be valued.

"I'm just glad I could help," she smiled. Glorfindel studied her face, noticing the remaining traces of dark circles under her eyes.

"Are you getting enough sun each day?" Laurel looked away, chewing on her lip.

"Usually yes, but today I had done so much training and then I had ran around looking for you, I didn't have time to get enough sun. I'm not used to this level of activity, but with time I assume it will get easier." She gave him a sheepish smile. The elf looked down at her with an unimpressed look.

"You have to be better prepared in the future." He stood abruptly, ending their conversation. Laurel laid down on her back in the grass.

"I think I'll stay here for a little while, I know you probably have to go speak with Lord Elrond," she said softly, her eyes drifting closed.

"Will you be alright here by yourself?" Glorfindel glanced around, noting the animals that had been creeping closer to the pair.

"Yeah," she sighed sleepily. "The animals will watch over me," she assured him. Glorfindel finally gave her a nod and mounted his horse.

"If I do not see you later this evening, do not worry about training tomorrow, take the day to rest and recover."

"Mmm, okay," she breathed, spreading her arms out over her head. She listened to retreating sounds of the soft hoof beats of his horse as he made his way back to the main halls.

* * *

*_tithen lissuin_ = little flower (this is a fragrant flower that is said to bring the heart ease)


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine:

It had been two weeks since the orc ambush. Glorfindel had continued training Laurel in private and she was improving greatly in her hand-to-hand combat skills and there was some minor improvements in her swordsmanship, although the lack of progress there could easily be attributed to disinterest on her part. She was getting to know the little hobbits more and more each day, deciding she enjoyed the carefree jokesters Merry and Pip the most. Arwen had introduced her to Estel, or Strider as the hobbits knew him, and he had been very polite, if not rather reserved. She liked him well enough, they just didn't interact very much since he spent most of his time with Arwen, training the hobbits, or with Legolas. The blond elf in question had been avoiding her, she noticed.

Anytime she accidentally bumped into him in a corridor or the gardens he would politely apologize and make a hasty retreat. Elladan and Elrohir had been spending more time with her recently as well. They had taken to teaching her about elvish customs and many other things that she didn't have the heart to tell them that she already knew. It was becoming increasingly difficult to feign interest when you had literally hundreds of years to yourself with nothing but books. Elrohir was the more tactful and conservative twin, while Elladan had a bit of a wild streak. Although according to Arwen, both had gotten into lots of trouble together in their younger years.

She had also been spending time with Gandalf. The wizard was curious about her gifts and so he decided that he would help her refine her skills each day. One day it was trying to grow a tree from a seed in a small amount of time, another day she was talking with some of the moths in the dining hall and learning quite a bit of juicy gossip. She even found out that she can heal small cuts and bruises on her body if she was in bright light and drank lots of water. She had never really injured herself while in her tower, so that particular gift came as quite the surprise!

Currently, she was lounging in the library, leafing through a book about elvish traditions. As she was reading, her ears picked up lots of movement and chatter from the main hall. Setting the book down on a nearby table, she walked over to the window that overlooked the courtyard. She gasped when she saw lots of visitors arriving. There were dwarves, and humans with their own respective traveling companies. Servants were dashing this way and that in order to prepare rooms for everyone and see to their needs. Laurel was interested by the small group of dwarves since she had never seen them, and there was not very much literature in regards to their history or customs. A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts and she turned to find Gandalf standing in the doorway.

"Excuse me, my dear," his voice rumbled. "But I was hoping to have a word with you before our gathering commences."

"What gathering? Is that why all these people are here in_ Imladris_?" she asked. Gandalf nodded with a small smile, taking out his pipe.

"Lord Elrond has requested the presence of certain individuals in order to discuss that fate of a very important object."

"What object?" she asked, reclaiming her seat she had used for her reading earlier.

"A most dark and ominous object I'm afraid," he explained, taking a long drag from his pipe. "Lord Elrond and I agree that you should be in attendance."

"Me? But I don't even know anything about the object, how could I weigh in on deciding its fate?" Gandalf gave her a knowing smile.

"I think you will be more helpful to this gathering than you think," he supplied. Laurel didn't know what to think about all of this. She had no idea all these people would be here for this special gathering, and she definitely didn't know what it was supposed to entail or how she could benefit them. The only thing that made her stand apart from the others was her gifts from Yavanna. But would that mean Lord Elrond and Gandalf planned for her to tell all these strangers her secret? Gandalf noticed the panic rise in her by her expression.

"Now, now, there is no need to worry," his gravelly voice soothed. "We will not divulge your past to any in attendance." Laurel let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

"Well, alright then. I guess it couldn't hurt," she shrugged. The wizard gave her a smile around the tip of his pipe.

"We will be meeting on the terrace outside the main hall at midday, be sure you are not late." He gave her a wink and slowly stood, leaving the room. Laurel looked out the window and judged by the sun that it was about three hours until midday. Knowing Glorfindel, he would most likely be waiting on her in their little glen for training, so she stood up and stretched before tugging on her boots and heading for the gardens.

When she finally made it to the glen, Glorfindel was already there, a frown marring his features.

"You're late again," he deadpanned. She gave him a sheepish look as she went to pick up the sword he had set out for her.

"I'm sorry, I was speaking with Gandalf, apparently I was invited to this big meeting they're having later today." Glorfindel arched a blond brow at her words.

"Did he say why you were invited?" Laurel rolled her eyes at the elf, knowing he didn't mean for that to come out offensively.

"He just said that they thought I would be useful somehow? I'm not really sure." She faced her mentor, sword in hand, ready for another brutal training session. The elf readied his own sword, swiveling it around in his grip. Show-off, she huffed internally. Without warning, he came at her fast, sword raised and swinging down toward her. Laurel squeaked and brought her own sword up to block the heavy blow. The weight of his swings was too much for her to counteract, so he had been teaching her to use speed and agility rather than brute strength against her opponents.

Laurel side-stepped his next swipe, and blocked him again as she danced in a circle around him. It was like a game of cat and mouse as she dodged his strikes. But it didn't take very long for her to begin to tire and really begin to notice the weight of the sword.

"Keep going," Glorfindel called to her, not willing to let her throw in the towel just yet. Laurel kept at it for a few more minutes, her arms beginning to shake slightly and her leg muscles began to burn. It wasn't until Glorfindel started to note the hazy look in her eyes that he let her rest. He pulled out a wineskin full of water and handed it to her. Gratefully she gulped it down, feeling the refreshing liquid revitalize her body. She felt the sun on her face and some energy start to return to her. This is how most of their training sessions went. He would push her almost to the point of exhaustion and then let her recuperate before beginning again.

He dismissed her an hour and a half later, giving her enough time to change into a fresh set of clothes and rinse the sweat off of her face. Her shoulder felt tight and she rubbed circles into it as she made her way back to her room. She walked into her chambers, stripping off the dirty tunic and breeches, trading them for a new pair. She tugged on a light blue tunic and a pair of charcoal-gray breeches. She walked over to the water basin in her bathroom, splashing the cool water on her face. She brought the comb up to her scalp and gently ran it down to the ends of her hair, ridding it of tangles and grass. She smiled as she saw the shine that her hair reflected from the light. Her hair was always something she was proud of and she took very good care of it. It had gotten longer since she had been in Imladris and soon it would need trimming she thought to herself. As she was pulling on her boots, preparing to leave for the meeting, she heard someone knock on her door. Laurel crossed the room and opened the door, surprised to see Legolas standing before her.

"Legolas," she breathed, taking in his appearance. He was dressed in a lovely silver tunic and brown pants, a cloak draped about his shoulders. He looked to be inspecting her outfit as well, although he didn't look as impressed as she did.

"Lord Elrond has asked that I escort you to the gathering," he explained, face devoid of emotion. Laurel studied him for a moment before nodding and stepping out into the hallway, shutting the wooden door behind her. It was amazing that she hadn't run into him more often since his room was right next to hers. As they walked, she tried to rub the soreness from her shoulder. She would have to remember to ask one of the servants to draw her a bath later. She groaned slightly when she put a little too much pressure on a particularly tense spot, which drew the attention of her elven escort.

"Is there a problem with your shoulder?" he asked, the tiniest hint of concern in his voice.

"Just a little sore, nothing to be worried about," she placated, dropping her hand back down to her side.

"How did it happen?" Laurel shrugged nonchalantly.

"Glorfindel," she muttered, remembering this morning when he knocked her off her feet many times, landing on that shoulder. Laurel glanced up at Legolas, seeing his jaw clenched tight and a hard set to his brow. They remained silent for the rest of the walk, finally emerging onto the terrace Gandalf had described to her earlier. Legolas left her side and went to seat himself amongst the group of people gathered there. She could see Gandalf, Frodo, Estel, a man with dirty-blond hair, two dwarves, one of which looked much older than the other, and of course some others that she assumed were traveling companions. She saw Lord Elrond standing in the middle of the terrace, the guests forming a semicircle around him. He motioned for her to stand next to Gandalf and turned to address the eclectic group.

"Strangers from distant lands," he began, "friends of old, You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite, or you will fall." He leveled a serious look to those in attendance. "Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom. Bring forth the ring, Frodo." He extended a hand in the hobbit's direction, motioning for him to place the ring upon a stone pedestal near where he was standing. Laurel glanced around in confusion. This was the dangerous object Gandalf was so concerned about? A piece of jewelry? She watched Frodo rise from his seat, taking small steps and gently placing the little golden ring on the stone surface. There were whispers erupting amongst the guests and then the many with the blond-auburn hair stood, addressing them.

"I dream I saw the eastern sky grow dark," he started, glancing around. "But in the West a pale light lingered. Voices crying, 'doom is near at hand'. Isildur's bane is found..." he mumbled, slowly nearing the ring. He inched a hand out toward the golden band.

"Boromir!" Lord Elrond called. Gandalf stood quickly, chanting words she didn't recognize. The sky grew dark suddenly and there were gasps from the semicircle of attendees. Boromir seemed to recognize his mistake and slowly backed away from the stone pillar to take his seat. Gandalf's chanting lowered in volume and the clouds parted as the sunlight slowly retuned.

"Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in _Imladris_," Lord Elrond spoke, eying the grey wizard as he addressed them.

"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond," Gandalf declared. "For the black speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West. The ring is altogether evil."

"It is a gift..." the man, Boromir stood again. "A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this ring?" he posed. "For long has my father, the steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy!" he suggested with fervor. "Let us use it against him!"

"You cannot wield it, none of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master." Laurel glanced over to the man speaking. Estel had spoke up, trying to bring back rational thought and steer the group away from such a radical and dangerous idea.

"And what would a ranger know of this matter?" Boromir sneered. Legolas jolted from his seat at the insult directed at his companion.

"This is no mere ranger," he announced. "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, you owe him your allegiance." Boromir glanced at the man with the weathered face and shoulder-length brown hair.

"Aragorn... This is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas added. Laurel's eyebrows shot up, as did nearly everyone else's who was in attendance.

"_Hav dadbas_, Legolas,*" Aragorn pleaded.

"Gondor has no king," Boromir ground out, glaring at the ranger. "Gondor needs no king." After Boromir seated himself again, there was a tense silence among them.

"Aragorn is right," Gandalf defended. "We cannot use it."

"You have only one choice," Lord Elrond rose from his seat. "The ring must be destroyed."

* * *

The meeting lasted a while longer, but Laurel had stopped paying attention when they began to argue about how they were to destroy it or who was to destroy it. Their meeting concluded when nine individuals pledged to form a fellowship to protect Frodo in their quest to cast the ring into a giant volcano. Or at least that's what she gathered. Frodo had been the first to assume the responsibility, then the other three hobbits, who had been eaves dropping on the entire meeting, then Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Boromir, and the red-haired dwarf, Gimli.

Everyone had almost cleared out, but Gandalf and Lord Elrond asked her to remain behind. Laurel glanced nervously between them. She had a bad feeling about this.

"Lady Laurel," Lord Elrond began, "We feel it is crucial that you also be a member of this expedition." Laurel's jaw went slack at his words.

"Why?" she asked incredulously.

"If you are able to communicate with birds so that danger can be avoided from a distance, or use you gifts to help this fellowship on their journey, I predict that likelihood of success would be far greater than if they were to be without your assistance." Laurel stared blankly at the two, not sure what to say. She couldn't go on this quest! She didn't know the first thing about quests! In every book she had read on the subject, a daring hero would journey forth to do the impossible, but they almost always some sort of trai-. Her eyes narrowed.

"This is why you asked Glorfindel to start training me, isn't it?" Lord Elrond let out a sigh, confirming her suspicion.

"We had hoped that you might be more open to the idea, and your help with the orc ambush only solidified our desire to request your help in this endeavor," Gandalf explained, his eyes pleading with her. Laurel gave it some thought. If she went, that would mean she would be there for the other's protection. But that also meant defending herself. Glorfindel had been adamant on teaching her offensive tactics during their training, but that would mean she would be forced to take the life of another. She visibly balked at the idea. It was not her place to condemn others to that fate, and she would not be complicit in the carnage that would likely come of this mission.

"I can't," she admitted. "I will not take the lives of others on this journey. I know that is what Glorfindel has been training me for, but I won't do it." She saw Gandalf extend an open hand to her. Placing her hand in his, he slowly guided her to sit in one of the now empty chairs.

"My dear," he sighed with a sad smile. "The Valar have blessed you with with extraordinary gifts. Yavanna looks after all the plants and animals of this world, protecting them, keeping them safe, seeing that the world is in balance." He squeezed her hand in his. "I believe that she has given you these gifts to restore that balance. These orcs, and now the unholy race of Uruk-Hai, are perversions of the natural order. You will be able to protect those that have pledged their lives to protect all of Middle Earth by accepting this quest, and any foe that might fall in protecting them, is one step closer to righting the natural balance." Laurel felt selfish now. She knew what he was trying to say, and to a certain extent she had to agree with him, but could she really take a life? She didn't think she had the stomach for it. Plus, she knew the others would not want her to be there. If she told them about her gifts, she could risk them betraying her and left for dead on the road, or returned to Saruman, or-.

She looked up when she felt the wizard squeeze her hand, drawing her from her spiraling thoughts. She looked into his eyes and they seemed to twinkle. She looked over to Lord Elrond and he nodded his agreement.

"It would be a true shame for the Valar's gifts to go to waste if all of Middle Earth falls to ruin. If this fellowship should fail, there will be nothing left for you to care for with those gifts, no one to spend your long life with." The thought of being alone again made her heart tighten. She felt hot tears start to slip down her cheeks.

"I will be there to protect both you and your secrets, my dear," Gandalf's rumbling voice assured her. Laurel sniffed, looking back and forth between them. She took a deep breath and moved to stand up.

"Okay," she agreed, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'll do it, but I don't want the others knowing about my past, not unless I want them to." She laid out her terms.

"Of course," Lord Elrond gave a soft smile. "We will inform the others soon." She gave him a nod, showing she understood and made to leave. She wanted to go to the meadow by the waterfall. She needed a little time to be by herself. With a gesture that said she was free to go, she said her goodbyes and quickly made her way out into the hall. She could hear voices echoing from the dining hall, so she picked up her pace as she did not feel like stopping for idle chit chat.

* * *

_Hav dadbas_ = sit down


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten:

The sound of the door to Lord Elrond's study was deafening in the silent room. Laurel blushed as she entered the study, seeing all nine members of the fellowship and Lord Elrond staring at her. Punctuality was definitely not a gift the Valar chose to bestow upon her. She ducked her head and went to stand next to where the hobbits were grouped together on the left side of the room. Aragorn stood next to Legolas on the far right side and Gandalf and Gimli stood between the hobbits and Boromir.

"I am sure you are all curious as to why you are here," Lord Elrond started. There were a few odd looks from the group as they waited for Elrond to explain why they were called into another meeting only hours after the one at midday. "Nine of you pledged your allegiance to this fellowship, to protect the ring and the ring-bearer." They all silently cast a glance over to the dark-haired hobbit in question. "However," he drew their attention back to him, "another has agreed to join you all on this quest at the behest of both Gandalf and myself." The group stood in silence after the announcement, waiting for the revelation of the identity of their new traveling companion.

"Lady Laurel will take her place as the tenth member of the fellowship of the ring," Gandalf finished. All heads whipped around to her, staring incredulously.

"A woman?" Boromir scoffed. "You cannot expect us to bring this young maiden with us! She will only slow us down or get herself hurt."

"Aye," the dwarf, Gimli, grumbled. "We haven't the numbers to spare a babysitter to watch the lass." Laurel frowned at that. She didn't need a babysitter, and she most certainly would not slow them down.

"My lord, why is it that you have suggested she join the fellowship?" Aragorn asked politely, although shooting a skeptical gaze at the woman.

"Lord Elrond and I have given much thought to this exact query," Gandalf interjected, walking around from behind the four hobbits to stand beside the elf lord. "Lady Laurel is an excellent tracker and knows safe routes to the place we are headed. Her knowledge is invaluable, and it took much convincing for her to agree to our request." He sent her a smile and a wink, letting her know that this was the cover story she would need to use if they asked why she knew things that a normal human woman would not normally know.

"We already have an excellent tracker in Aragorn," Legolas protested. "We cannot afford to be distracted when trouble comes our way and she needs protecting. We already have four dependent hobbits under our charge." That was it, Laurel huffed. She walked forward to stand on the other side of Lord Elrond and faced the eight other members.

"I don't want to go on this journey anymore than you do," she nearly growled. "Lord Elrond and Gandalf have enough faith in my skills that they personally sought me out and convinced me to help you all. If they had not been so convincing, I would not have risked my own life on this ill-fated mission, but here I am. I have chosen to go and that is final." Her words were precise and her voice strong and unwavering, a stark contrast to the shy woman that had arrived on their doorstep only a few weeks ago. No one spoke for a minute or two, the eight of them facing Lord Elrond, Gandalf and Laurel. They presented a strong united front and it was hard for any more opposition to rear its head.

"So be it," Boromir ground out and quickly exited the room. Laurel locked eyes with Legolas. He wore a calm and collected mask, but it was clear that he was very much against her joining the fellowship.

"She will need to learn to protect herself, just as the hobbits must," Aragorn declared. "We have already begun their training, so Lady Laurel can join us for another round of training after supper." Lord Elrond glanced down at Laurel before nodding his agreement to his adopted son.

"That is a logical suggestion Estel, Laurel does this suit you?" She looked up at the elf lord and slowly nodded. She wasn't sure how to go about this, but she could ask Glorfindel later and he would know what to do.

"Of course," she acquiesced.

"Well, now that that is settled," Gandalf rumbled, "I believe it is time for us to renew our strength with a well-deserved meal." The hobbits' eyes lit up and they let out excited whispers, jumping around at the mention of food. Gandalf gestured behind them, back toward the door, and they all began filing out into the hallway. The hobbits were the first ones out the door and running toward the dining hall, drawing a laugh from Laurel. When she made made her way out of the study, instead of turning left like the others, she turned right so that she could return to her room.

"Oi, lassie!" a voice called from behind her. She pivoted around to see Gimli had been the one to address her. "Aren't ya gonna dine with your new comrades?" She nervously glanced at Legolas, silently hoping he would tell them she usually dined alone. She didn't want to seem rude and ruin their opinion of her already!

"Master Gimli, Lady Laurel has an aversion for large gatherings. She prefers to dine alone in her room." With that, Legolas turned on his heel and headed toward the dining hall. Gimli gave her a strange look. "You're gonna need to get over that, lassie!" he gave a gruff chuckle, walking up to her. Before she could react, he had grabbed her wrist and was tugging her down the corridor. "I want to get to know ya before I have to start protecting ya. And there won't be a lick of privacy on the road, so the sooner ya get used to us, the better!" Laurel tried to pull her arm out of his grip, but resistance was futile. She took in a shaky breath as she walked along side Gimli to the dining hall.

When they entered she scanned the room for an empty seat, hopefully away from the fellowship. Over the heads of the hobbits she saw Glorfindel sitting next to Aragorn and quickly yanked her hand away from Gimli to claim the open seat next to the blond elf. She walked over to where he was sitting and pulled the chair out. Glorfindel looked up at her as she sat, a small look of surprise permeating his features before he returned to his normal stoic expression. Settling in her seat, she noticed Sam was seated across from her, Boromir to her left, and Legolas across and to the right. He also seemed slightly surprised to see her there.

"Be still my heart!" a voice chuckled from behind her. "Laurel has graced us with her presence the eave, this truly is a special occasion!"

"Hello, Elladan," she smirked, not needing to turn her head to know it was him. He took a seat to the right of Aragorn, two seats to the right of her.

"We hardly see you anymore," he pouted, angling his head toward her from down the table. "Maybe if you weren't spending all your time sneaking off into the forest with Glorfindel, we might get to spend more time teaching you about elven culture," he snickered. Aragorn stiffly jabbed his elbow into his side, effectively silencing the boisterous twin. Laurel's face turned bright red. She didn't know how to defend herself without revealing what they had been doing for the past couple weeks.

"Elladan, you would do well to refrain from inserting yourself into the business of others," Glorfindel reprimanded. "Another word from you and you will be patrolling the borders for the next hundred years, do I make myself clear?" he snapped.

"Of course, my apologies," Elladan ducked his head and sunk back in his seat. Laurel shifted uncomfortably as she noticed the many eyes on her. Finally, it was Boromir who broke the silence.

"Lady Laurel," he took a swig of wine from his goblet. "Where do you hail from?" Laurel looked at the man to her left, wracking her head for the name of the place Lord Elrond said she was supposed to be from.

"Oh, umm," she stammered.

"You are from Bree, are you not?" Legolas spoke up. She angled her head to the right to see him eyeing her.

"Yes, that's right," she confirmed, turning back toward Boromir.

"And they let the women there traipse around Middle Earth in men's clothing?" he gestured to her blue tunic and gray breeches she had chosen to wear that day.

"Not usually," she admitted.

"And what of your family?" he asked around a mouthful of bread. Laurel felt a twinge of something when he said the word family. For over a thousand years it had just been her and Saruman. Her parents have given her up due to her oddness, and she had never truly had a family. She stared down at the ceramic plate in front of her, thoughts swirling around in her head and she studied the small fissures in the dinnerware. Someone cleared their throat and Laurel glanced back up to see that all eyes were on her. She felt her face get hot and her hands started to tremble. Glorfindel noticed her strange behavior and quickly pushed his chair away from the table. He grabbed Laurel's hand and pulled her from her seat, guiding her from the room.

"Please excuse us," he said as they rushed from the hall, all eyes on their retreating backs.

"Did I offend her?" Boromir asked. He had been raised as a gentleman and did not make a habit of insulting or offending women. Legolas didn't like how that had ended either. For the past two weeks he had done his best to avoid her, not wanting to get between her and Glorfindel. However, he hadn't liked her reaction when Boromir asked her about her family. Perhaps that was why she left Bree? She never spoke to anyone of her past, but he knew that Lord Elrond knew much more about her than anyone else. Maybe he would know why she had reacted the way she did.

"She is very reserved when it comes to personal details," Elladan spoke as he set down his goblet. "Elrohir and I had taken to teaching her elvish customs and Sindarin, but when we ask her how things compare to human customs, or we asked her about her home or family, she clams up and stops talking altogether. It's best to not mention or inquire about her past, we have learned."

"What do you know of this woman then?" Boromir asked. Elladan finished his goblet of wine and wiped his mouth on a napkin.

"She is a very fast learner," he smiled, remembering how fast she picked up the elven language. "She is from Bree, she loves to walk in the gardens, she never dines with us, perhaps for reasons similar to what has happened tonight." He glanced around to see who could hear them before adding, "and every morning she meets with Glorfindel in a meadow passed the tree line. I've never followed them out there, but when she returns, she is usually covered in bruises and scratches and looks rather weary." He smirked at their surprised faces.

"I do not believe it is honorable to gossip about our friends," Aragorn sighed. He knew there was some sort of relationship between the woman and the elven warrior, but he sincerely doubted it was a romantic one. Glorfindel was not an easy elf to get to know and he never expressed interest in any elleth, or human for that matter. All the blond elf cared for was battle and protecting those closest to him.

"I can't say I blame him," Gimli spoke up from beside the hobbits. "The lass is quite easy on the eyes." Legolas leveled a glare at the dwarf. He quickly excused himself from the table, not caring for the conversation any longer. Aragorn gave him a worried look as he stood to leave, but Legolas waved off his concern. He made his way up to where his room was, thinking about the day's events. He was upset that she was going to be coming with them. If she got hurt, he would never forgive himself. She also did not seem like the type of woman that would bring any skill to the table that he or Aragorn did not already possess.

As he entered his room, he laid down on the bed, closing his eyes with a sigh. He ears pricked up when he heard what sounded like soft sobs. He sat up, ear angled toward the wall. It was coming from Laurel's room.

"I didn't know what to say!" came her muffled cry. "I've never had a family, so I don't even know how to pretend that I had one." Legolas frowned at her words. He felt a pang in his chest at the thought of her not having a family.

"I have to pretend I'm from Bree, but I don't know anything about Bree! And I guess human women only wear those stupid dresses, so I can't even do that right!" she exclaimed, a sob escaping from her throat.

"Shh, _tithes lissuin_," a voice soothed. He gritted his teeth when he figured it must be Glorfindel's. "You know I would never reveal your past, but maybe there are a few details you might feel comfortable sharing, to make things easier."

"No," she sniffed. "As soon as they realize who I am, that I've lied to them, they won't trust me. They would leave me alone out there and I'm tired of feeling alone." Another round of sobs wracked her body. Legolas didn't know what to make of their conversation. He felt a stabbing pain in his heart for her, he never wanted to see her cry. But what secrets was she keeping from them? And were they so bad that she thinks it will alter their perspective of her drastically if she were to reveal them to the fellowship?

"Come now, stop the tears," Glorfindel murmured to her. "You still have to train with them once they have finished supper, you mustn't let them see weakness in you. Men, especially human men, will exploit that and use it against you. Do you understand?" Did Glorfindel worry about the intentions of the men in their group? Legolas wrinkled his nose at the thought of anyone trying to force their attentions on her. He would not allow it. She would be protected, he was sure of that.

"I expect to still see you in the mornings, even though you will be training with the fellowship now." He heard Laurel groan.

"Please, can I not have one day off? I'm so sore and tired!" she whined.

"You've never complained about this before, why did you not tell me?"

"I didn't want to disappoint you," she sighed. "I thought with time it would get easier, but it's just not something I'm used to."

"I understand, _tithes lissuin_," Glorfindel spoke, his tone a bit softer this time. "If training this evening proves to sap your energy, then we will not meet in the morn."

"Thank you," Laurel breathed a sigh of relief. "It's not that you're a bad teacher, it's just that I don't know how much more my body can take." Legolas felt sick. He pulled a pillow over his head to try to block out the rest of the conversation. He was enraged to know that their clandestine meetings left her with scratches and hurt her. That she had to plead with him so that she might have a morning to recover. He had always respected Glorfindel, but this was never something Legolas thought he would stoop to. Maybe Laurel's inductance into the fellowship was not such a bad thing. Perhaps what she really needed was distance from the elven warrior, he thought.

The sound of a door closing caught his attention. Glorfindel must have left because he could faintly hear Laurel padding around in her room. He felt terrible now for alienating her. He had avoided her for most of the time she was here, and that had driven her further into the arms of Glorfindel. Legolas sighed, he felt like a fool. He was always so sure of himself, but he felt his control waning as his thoughts wrapped tighter around Laurel each day. At nights she would visit him, a vision in a green dress, the color of the woodland realm, hair flowing down to her hips in sensuous waves. She would smile at him and crook her finger. Like a love-struck fool he would run to her side, cupping the sides of her heart-shaped face in his hands. He would crash his lips onto hers as she gripped his shoulders. Then he would wake, feeling unsatisfied and his heart racing.

He had never felt this way about a woman before, not even Tauriel. But he knew his father would never approve of a human. She would die of old age before long and he would be left to mourn her loss. But there was just something about her that drew him to her, something that made his heart skip a beat when they locked eyes. And he had been unkind to her, he sighed. He hated to think that part of her trepidation regarding telling the fellowship about her past could be due to the way he had been acting. He stood up from his bed, determined to make things right. He would escort her to the training grounds and teach her the basics of archery before the others made their way from the dining hall.

He strode out of his room and rapped on her door, listening for he reply.

"Come in," her soft voice called. He turned the nob and slowly walked in, seeing her standing by the window, looking out over the gardens. His breath caught as he committed her silhouette to his memory. The sky would not set for another two hours or so, but it had tinges of orange that framed her figure, the light glinting off of her long brown locks. She turned to face him and the spell was immediately broken.

"Legolas?" she asked, her brows knitting together in confusion. Legolas schooled his features and straightened his back, fully stepping into the room.

"I was hoping to escort you to the training grounds," he announced. "Archery is a skill that requires time and patience. It would be better to begin now and move on to something else when the rest of the fellowship finishes their supper."

"Oh," she sighed, turning away from the window and trudging over to the corner of the room where she had kicked off her boots. Legolas could see the redness around her eyes from crying, and when she looked up at him after pulling on her boots, her eyes weren't the normal emerald green he was used to seeing. Right now they were a dark olive color. He had started to pick up on the strange colors of her eyes, but he only truly noted it when she was very happy or very angry, and unfortunately he'd seen more of the latter emotion recently.

"I'm ready," she said, no emotion on her face or light in her eyes. Legolas did not like this at all. He gave her a soft smile, hoping to rouse a similar reaction from her, but to no avail. She walked passed him and into the hallway, forcing him to turn quickly on his heels and catch up with her. They walked in silence down to the training fields and he lead them to the archery range where targets had been set up at different distances.

"Let's begin with this one," he gestured to the target that was about twenty feet away. He picked up a bow that he thought would be suitable for her size. He pulled back on the bowstring, testing it, before he handed it to her and gave her a quick run down of how she ought to hold it.

"Now remember, your stance is very important..." he droned on. Laurel had tuned him out a long time ago. She felt like she had no motivation to do anything right now. She had the energy, that wasn't the problem, but as she looked up at Legolas, seeing that he was still lecturing her on the correct stance, she felt her mind drift to other things. Maybe she shouldn't have come to _Imladris_ at all. Maybe she should have stayed in that tower and she would never have to feel like she is right now. Maybe she could find a small human village, where a normal human man would find an interest in her and they could settle down and start a family. Normal things. But then, she probably wouldn't age and they would begin to take notice. They would toss her out once her deception was revealed and she would find herself alone again. Maybe that was her destiny. To be alone. To watch over the plants and animals of the forest for the rest of her days.

A solitary tear slipped down her cheek, causing Legolas to cease his instruction. She turned her face to look out toward the targets and away from him, but his hand reached out and tilted her chin gently toward him.

"What is wrong? Do you not wish to train this evening?" he asked with concern. Laurel turned her head out of his grasp, putting her back to him and setting the bow down. She wrapped her arms around herself as she looked up at the sun. It was getting closer to the horizon, but not fast enough. She just wanted to go lay on her bed and cry. Cry about the injustice of her situation. Cry about the bleak outlook she had of her future.

"Laurel, please, look at me," Legolas stepped around her so that he stood in front of her now. She moved to turn away from him again, but he caught her arm and quickly pulled her into his chest. She let out a choked sob as she felt Legolas wrap his arms around her. "Shh," he cooed. "I am sorry, Laurel. I should not have avoided you for the past two weeks." Laurel buried her head in his tunic and his arms tightened slightly around her.

"It's alright," she sniffed.

"You know you can tell me if something is ever bothering you," he said, brushing her hair away from her face. Laurel stepped out of his hold, wiping away the last of her tears.

"Okay," she said. "I'm sorry you had to see that, can we get back to archery training?" Legolas was wary of her sudden change in demeanor.

"Are you sure?" he asked. She nodded, picking the bow up off the ground and taking a few deep breaths.

"Yes, I just want to think about something else for a while." That was something Legolas could understand. He gave a soft smile and dove back into his explanation of bow handling and the correct stance. Laurel felt the corner of her mouth tick up in a partial smile, happy at least that Legolas was talking to her again.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven:

The arrow sailed over the target once again. She heard Legolas let out a quiet sigh. They had been 'training' for the last half hour while Aragorn and Boromir helped the hobbits with their swordsmanship. Glorfindel had advised her that, if she did not wish for the fellowship to know about her past or her Valor-Given gifts, then it would be best for her to seem like an ordinary human woman. That meant sabotaging her own training sessions. She would hold the bow wrong, or 'forget' how to notch an arrow, and Legolas would patiently explain to her the correct way of doing things. Honestly, she had to give him credit for how hard he was trying and for his unending supply of patience.

The previous evening, Aragorn had attempted to start training her with a sword. She really hammed it up on that one, seeing as Glorfindel had greatly improved her sword-handling skills over the past two weeks. She would let the sword be knocked out of her hand, strike to high so as to exposed herself for attack, move too slowly to dodge his swings. They all seemed to be very patient with her, but it was harder for her to pretend to know nothing when she might have been a better fighter now than half of them.

"Let's go over this again," she heard Legolas say from behind her. He positioned her arms in the correct place, checked her stance, made sure her arrow was properly positioned, and gave her the cue to fire. She let the arrow go, deciding she would aim for the outer fringes of the target this time. The arrow sunk into the far right edge, although not very deeply. Legolas turned to her with a smile.

"Well done, that's an improvement. You managed to hit the target this time." She had come to realize that Legolas was not particularly expressive, but for him, this was an excited exclamation of high praise. She shrugged after she brought her bow down to her side.

"It is I guess," she said, looking over to him.

"Don't worry, by the end of this week I am sure you will be able to make a bullseye at least once, and after that we can continue training on the road," he suggested. Laurel felt slightly annoyed, but had to remind herself that everyone thought she had never held a bow before yesterday.

"We leave in a week?" she changed the subject. Legolas nodded to her, glancing toward the targets that had arrows littering the ground around them.

"You will be prepared by then," he assured her. That's not what I'm worried about, she thought to herself. She had convinced them yesterday evening with Legolas' help, not to force her to join them for meals. After the fiasco at dinner, they all politely agreed, not wanting to upset her. Training with them after dinner had left her feeling run-down and weary. So this morning she met with Glorfindel, but not to train, just to lie in the sun and talk about her upcoming journey. After about an hour, they had run out of things to talk about, so he returned to the main halls while she remained in the little glen.

For hours she laid out there, enjoying the company of the animals and relaxing. She was usually happier and more pleasant to be around when she's gotten enough sun. She felt like she had days of energy stored up and was ready for the training session with Boromir to begin once she was done training with Legolas. She was about to pick up another arrow to shoot when she heard the chattering voices of hobbits. Glancing behind her she saw Aragorn and the four hobbits coming their way. Pip and Merry looked inspirited from their training, Frodo just had a complacent smile, and Sam, poor Sam, it looked like he was not having as much fun as the others. Training must not have gone the way he wanted it to, she thought.

"Legolas,"Aragorn greeted with a half smile. "I believe Boromir wishes to trade students." Legolas glanced over her head to see Boromir behind them a ways, examining the swords and testing their weight. He gave a nod to his friend, holding out a hand for the bow Laurel had been practicing with. She handed it over gave him a small smile.

"Thank you for being so patient today, Legolas," she said, pulling the quiver of arrows from her back.

"Of course," he returned her smile. "It is my pleasure to help prepare you for our journey." Aragorn showed her where Boromir was standing, waiting for her so that they could begin her next swordsmanship lesson. Laurel made her way over to him, stopping and waiting for him to speak. He looked up at her from the sword he was inspecting, looked back to the sword, then back to her.

"This should be a more appropriate sword for you than the one Aragorn supplied yesterday evening." He handed her a sword that was substantially smaller than the one she had used in her training with Glorfindel and looked to be the same size as the hobbits' swords. She tested its weight in her hand, getting aquatinted with the feel of this new type of sword.

"Show me your fighting stance," Boromir got straight to it. Laurel placed her feet shoulder-width apart squared her shoulders and held the sword as Aragorn had instructed her to. Boromir rubbed the scruff on his chin as he assessed her form.

"Stagger your feet more, bring this arm down more, and turn your hips this way," he said as he adjusted her stance. Laurel felt his put his hands on her hips and decided she did not like the feeling of his hands on her whatsoever. Satisfied that she was now ready to train properly, he went to pick up his own sword.

"Do your best to parry my swings," he directed. She nodded, watching him approach her. His first blow came fast, slashing down through the air to her left. But rather than parry with her sword, she simply sidestepped the swing and prepared for the next blow. Boromir readjusted quickly, now at her middle, something she couldn't as easily jump back from. Laurel turned her sword to meet his, half-heartedly putting any strength behind it. The force knocked her back a few steps and she brought the sword back up to block more swings. Boromir was nearly relentless in his assault. He swung swiftly and with thinly veiled impatience with her lack of skill. Laurel was starting to get worried at how hard he was striking and her weak attempts at blocking them were not cutting it. She resorted to dodging some of the blows while blocking others. His face seemed determined and focused and it was clear to her that he would rather not be here training with her.

"You must be quicker!" he ground out, slashing to her right, nearly catching her side. Laurel's eyes widened when she saw a glimmer of anger, or maybe frustration, in his eyes as his strikes grew in strength and speed. There was no way she could keep up appearances and continue blocking his advances. He swung once more at her and she moved to jump back, her heel catching on her other foot and causing her to fall. On her way to the ground, however, Boromir's sword sliced through the skin of her stomach. It wasn't deep enough to need stitches, she guessed, but it hurt enough for her to let out a yelp of pain. She landed in the dirt and quickly brought a hand to her stomach, seeing blood start to stain her tunic.

"Boromir! What did you do?" Aragorn's voice called from behind him. Laurel looked around him to see Aragon and Legolas quickly striding over to them, a shocked group of hobbits by the archery targets. She keenly felt the sting of the wound now, and it was the deepest cut she had ever sustained since Glorfindel was always very careful not to hurt her too badly during their training. Glancing down at the wound again, she reassessed the damage. Maybe she misjudged how deep the cut was, because it was starting to bleed much more than just a shallow one. Boromir dropped his sword as he turned to face the elf and the ranger.

"We were just training," he huffed in explanation. Legolas stooped down to her, moving her hand away from her stomach, seeing the blood dripping off her hand and spreading over her tunic. She winced when he helped her to stand. His eyes checked over her for any other wounds before they met hers.

"Are you alright?" he asked, a hint of worry in his voice. "What happened?" Laurel glanced over to where Aragorn was asking the same thing of Boromir.

"This woman has no place among us," the man growled as he glanced back at her. "She can't defend herself whatsoever. Let this serve as a very real warning for what is to come if she still insists on joining this fellowship."

"That is not for you to decide," Aragorn scolded, a severe frown marring his features. "You do not have the right to injure her under the pretense of training. She will be going on this expedition, whether you prefer it or not, and the last thing we need is her injuries to slow us down even more." Boromir's face fell slightly, realizing that he may have gone a little too far this time. He had been fine when they started, but seeing how weakly she would block his strikes and lack of form angered him greatly. He could not fathom why she would be joining them and she would do nothing but slow them down and get herself killed.

"My apologies, Lady Laurel," he sighed. "I took our training too far, I realize. It shall not happen again." Laurel watched him, his apology not seeming to reach his eyes and made her doubt his sincerity.

"It's alright," she grunted, pressing her hand to her stomach. She did not enjoy the wet, sticky feeling of the blood-covered tunic on her skin.

"No it most certainly is not," Legolas nearly growled. He cast a lethal glare at the man responsible for her pain. A painful groan from Laurel drew his attention back to her and prevented him from doing or saying anything that he might've regretted later.

"Let's get you to the healing halls," he said softly. Laurel nodded to him, taking a step forward. She let out a small cry when she felt the painful tug at the wound when she tried to walk. Swinging her leg forward made it feel like the cut was being torn open further. She clenched her eyes shut tightly as she waited for the sharp sting to subside back into the less painful throbbing. Legolas picked up on her inability to walk.

"May I carry you?" he asked quietly, eyes searching hers. Laurel mulled the offer over for a moment. She didn't want to get her blood all over him, or feel like a damsel in distress, even though she technically was. But, if she declined his offer, then she would have to walk, and the thought nearly made her queasy. With a small sigh she met his eyes, nodding her head. Legolas' arms snaked around her back and beneath her knees, hoisting her into the air. A sharp stab of pain spread from the wound, causing her to yelp.

"It's alright," he soothed with comforting eyes. "I've got you." Laurel rested her head against his shoulder as he started to walk and brought her arms to wrap around his neck for support. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth through the pain. After a minute or two she heard the voices of servants and the sound of shoes against the floor. She heard a large door being opened and Legolas thanking whoever it was that held it open for them. She opened her eyes with a grunt as she felt herself being lowered onto a bed in the healing hall. There were many beds like the one she was on lining the length of the room and soft light filtered in through the high windows above her head. Soon a brown-haired elf appeared by their side and seemed to take over the situation. He examined her cut through the gaping hole in her tunic.

"This will need stitching," he said, no hint of emotion in his voice. Yes, Laurel had definitely misjudged how deep the wound was. The elf called for a few assistants and gathered a bunch of supplies before returning to her bed. "Your highness, I'm afraid I must insist on privacy for the procedure. One of my healers will alert you when she is ready for visitors." Laurel felt her heart rate pick up. She didn't want to be alone right now in the healing halls and so she reached out for Legolas' hand once he started to leave. She also made a mental not to ask him about the 'your highness' thing. He gave her a comforting look and squeezed her hand gently.

"It's going to be fine, I will be waiting just outside the hall. Nostadnir is an excellent healer and you are in very capable hands," he spoke softly. Laurel felt his hand slip from hers as he turned, walking back though the large doors that let out into the corridor. She redirected her attention to the healing staff and complied without fuss when they asked her to remove her tunic, which was a very painful maneuver for her. They cleaned the wound with some strong-smelling liquid that burned like raging fire across her skin, and then lathered on some sort of salve that was supposed to numb the area. She didn't know if Legolas had lied to her about the healer, Nost- ... something, but she knew for sure that the numbing salve definitely did not work. She let out a pained shriek when they pierced her skin with the needle. The healing assistants had to hold her arms and legs down to prevent her from moving, which only made her struggle more.

"Go fetch me the bottle of sedative on the third shelf, now!" the head healer commanded to one of his nurses. She scurried back over a minute later with a dark blue vial and handed it over to Nostadnir. He brought the vial to her lips and insisted she drink the contents, but Laurel had absolutely had it with these healers. She was in more pain than she had ever experienced in her life and they were only making it worse!

"No!" she struggled against the nurses holding her limbs down. "I don't want any of whatever that is!" The head healer sighed and set the bottle down, informing his team that he would resume stitching the wound since she had refused the sedative. Laurel's screams could be heard from the hallway and Legolas winced as he waited. Every scream she let out tore through his body and he hated that he had left her in there. Elven medicine was renowned for its ability to relieve pain and minimize suffering to the patients, but that was not what this sounded like to him. What were they doing to Laurel that inflicted so much pain? He heard quick and heavy footsteps coming around the corner and Glorfindel's towering form appeared before him in seconds.

"Where is she!?" he bellowed. Laurel let out another piercing shriek and Glorfindel pushed passed him, storming into the room. Legolas dared not follow and instead listened to the commotion through the crack in the doorway.

"My lord, Glorfindel!" the healer greeted in surprise.

"What has happened Nostadnir?" He pushed the healing assistants out of the way so he could kneel next to Laurel. He brushed the sweat-soaked strands of hair away from her face as he waited for the healer's answer.

"We are nearly done stitching a wound she received, although the numbing salve did not appear to work properly and she refused the sedative tincture." Glorfindel studied her face, brushing her hair back. Her face was contorted in pain and her eyes screwed shut. He held her left hand in his and gave it a soft squeeze for comfort.

"In all my years I have never known you to produce a faulty salve, Nostadnir. How hard is it really to make?" he growled. Nostadnir looked highly offended by his words.

"I assure you that every salve, tincture and medication is produced with the utmost attention to detail," he defended.

"Then why is she in so much pain?" Glorfindel ground out behind gritted teeth.

"Perhaps the sedative will ease the pain, but she has refused it." Glorfindel turned back to Laurel, squeezing her hand lightly.

"_Tithes lissuin_, will you drink the sedative? It will help with the pain," he spoke softly. Laurel slowly opened her eyes and studied the blond elf in front of her. Her eyebrows where knitted together in pain and indecision before she reluctantly nodded. Nostadnir handed Glorfindel the vial and he brought it to her lips, allowing her to drink the dark liquid. However, as soon as Glorfindel replaced the bottle's stopper, Laurel heaved all of it back up onto the floor. Now her stomach ached from both the inside and the outside. This was quickly turning into the worst day ever, she thought. She heard Glorfindel speaking to her, but he sounded as if he were underwater. Her eyelids felt heavy and she could no longer fight to keep them open. Eventually all sights and sounds drained away and everything faded to black.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve:

The first thing she registered were sounds. She felt tired and her limbs felt heavy and the sounds around her seemed like she was hearing them from underwater. She wanted to open her eyes, but that took far too much energy. So she resigned herself to focusing on what she could hear and trying to make out what voices were speaking. After a few minutes, the voices became clear and she recognized the voices of Gandalf and Lord Elrond. They were talking about the fellowship and the general consensus from everyone that it would probably fail.

"I fear for her safety on this journey, _Mithrandir._ She has the proper training, but the dangers might not only be lurking from outside this motley group," he trailed off in a grim tone. There was a long pause where no one spoke and to her it felt like forever.

"I understand your concerns, old friend, but I assure you that her place amongst the fellowship will be imperative. I am asking you to put your faith in an old wizard and trust that he will see to it that our lady Laurel be kept safe." It sounded to Laurel that Lord Elrond no longer wished she be part of this adventure, and, with the memories of what had happened while training with Boromir came back to her, she found it hard to disagree. The longer she listened to the conversation near her, the more sensation she regained in her limbs and other senses. A dull throb emanated from her stomach where she had been sliced by Boromir's sword. She winced internally at the painful memory. She tried opening her eyes as she felt a little more energy coming back to her. Her skin felt warm on her face and her forearms, meaning there was probably sunlight shining on her from a window nearby.

She cracked one eye open slightly, then the other, the bright light shining in her eyes making her squint. She turned her head to the side so that she could open her eyes more to see what was going on around her. Her vision was quite blurry at first, but soon focused on the wizard and the lord of _Imladris_ standing about ten feet away. Lord Elrond's back was to her, but Gandalf saw her eyes open and her head turn, motioning to the elf in front of him to turn around.

"My dear," Lord Elrond spoke softly as he came to her side. "How are you feeling?" Laurel tried to speak but her mouth and throat were as dry as a desert. Instead, she cast her gaze to the pitcher of water resting on the table next to her bed. The elf seemed to realize what she was asking for and quickly poured her a tall glass of the cool water. Helping her reach a sitting position, he handed her the glass and she greedily downed the entirety of it in seconds.

"I've been better," she finally rasped, a small smile forming. She glanced up to the window that had been casting light upon her, but she frowned when she realized it was very early in the day, judging from the height of the sun. Her training with Boromir was definitely not this early. "What time is it?" she asked. Gandalf gave her a sad smile as he came over to the bed.

"It is four hours until midday," he explained. "You have been asleep for three days." Laurel's eyes widened at his words. If she wasn't fully awake before, then she certainly was now. Three days? She gave them a confused look and she heard Lord Elrond sigh beside her.

"We believe that traditional medicinals have adverse and rather unexpected side effects on you, my dear," the elf said softly, patting her hand. "Perhaps the combination of the pain and tiresome activity of the day depleted your energy stores, as well as the healing process, and your body could not cope with the demand. We transferred you to a bed that had more direct sunlight to try and assist your body in regaining its strength." Laurel nodded her head absently as the information swirled through her brain. Did this now mean that if she were to become ill or injured that there was nothing they could do? Was she a lost cause if something like that were to happen? Maybe she should really rethink this whole quest thing.

"I can see that this is difficult news to process," Gandalf rumbled. Laurel looked up at the grey wizard, studying his expression. To her, he always looked like a content old man that knew one too many secrets.

"It is," she replied. She cast her gaze about the room now, noticing that a few healers were mulling about, but it was mostly just the three of them there.

"Where is Glorfindel?" she asked, slightly disappointed that he was not there when she awoke. Lord Elrond smiled at her question and gave her hand a quick squeeze.

"He had been by your side these three days and we were only recently able to convince him to take some rest. He will more than likely return soon, within the hour I would guess." Laurel nodded in understanding and slumped back down onto her back. All this talking was making her tired again and she could really use a nap.

"It has been a difficult three days for many here, including a certain elven prince," Gandalf had a twinkle in his eye and a small smirk at the corner of his mouth as he spoke. Laurel felt her face heat up when she realized he was talking about Legolas. That elf was so hot and cold. One day he wanted to be her best friend and then the next he would hate her.

"If you would feel comfortable," Elrond added, "Boromir would like to formally apologize for his behavior." Laurel felt bad when she thought about how much trouble he had probably received, but most of that was justified, she thought.

"Of course," she replied. She let out a yawn and felt her eyelids start to droop once again.

"I will notify him and we will leave you to your rest," Lord Elrond spoke softly. "Let one of the healers know if you should need anything."

"Okay," she sighed as her eyes fell closed. She heard their footsteps fade as she let sleep take her once more.

* * *

The sound of the heavy wooden doors to the healing hall opening woke her from her nap. Laurel cracked an eye open to see a figure coming toward her. As her vision focused she smiled. Glorfindel.

"_Tithes lissuin_," he sighed, a relieved look on his face. He strode quickly to her side, taking a seat on the bed near her legs. Laurel hoisted herself up onto her elbows and then into a sitting position.

"Someone was worried about me," she smirked. The elf cracked a small smile.

"Perhaps." Laurel smiled at the elf who seemed to have taken on a fatherly role. His attention and care for her in the short time they had known each other had already surpassed that of Saruman in her opinion. Sure their training sessions sometimes left her gasping for air and nursing a few scrapes, but she knew he cared for her.

"Do you still intend to participate in this ill-fated mission?" He leveled a serious look at her. Laurel poured herself a glass of water from the pitcher beside her bed and thought about the question for a while. Did she still want to go, knowing that if she got hurt badly enough that was it for her? She did make them a promise though, and they had trusted her to help them and keep them safe. Would her presence be missed if she were't there?

"I don't know," she sighed. She had put so much time and effort into training, revealed her secret to three different people, and made a promise to protect the fate of all of Middle Earth. "Uggh," she groaned. "Yes. I have to." Glorfindel's face remained unexpressive. "I made a promise to help them," she explained. "I know that I might die, but I have lived in safety for over a thousand years, Glorfindel." She looked up at him, hoping he understood what she was trying to say. "If I don't help them, then what purpose do I have here?" Glorfindel gave her a questioning look, so she continued. "I can live much longer than a normal human, I have these gifts from Yavanna that would be wasted if I did not use them for something greater than growing flowers slightly faster than normal." A solitary tear slid down her cheek. "No one can know who I really am, and so I am destined to be alone forever. No one would want a freak like me and I just know that if this mission succeeds, I will probably go on living a boring useless life anyway. So why not risk it?"

She was immediately enveloped in a tight embrace. Glorfindel held her tight to his chest and she felt a few more tears stain her cheeks.

"I never want to hear those words ever again. Do you understand?" He pulled her back to look into her olive-green eyes. "You are not a freak. I don't know what Saruman told you, but no one here would dream of hurting you or casting you out because of your gift. You are so very special, and dear to many of us. Do not be so frivolous with your life. It is true that you made a promise and there is no doubt that your assistance would be vital, but you have a choice, and it should not be made lightly."

"I know!" she sighed in frustration. "I've been thinking about it since I woke up earlier, and I think want to go. I promise that I'll be careful and I will try my best to make it back safely." Glorfindel searched her face for any hint of wavering, but there was none. He nodded solemnly in understanding.

"There is still the matter of the man from Gondor," he reminded her. Laurel took a sip of her water and thought that one over. This was a delicate matter, seeing as how she would be spending copious amounts fo time with him on the journey.

"Lord Elrond said that he wished to see me, to apologize, and I think that's a good idea. We need to clear the air, and I don't think I harbor any grudge against him."

"You don't _think_ you do?" he smirked at her phrasing. She smiled and shook her head.

"No, I understand that he got carried away, and I was being quite dramatic with my acting." Glorfindel let out a small chuckle. It was not often that he laughed or smiled, but around Laurel he couldn't seem to help himself.

"How are you healing?" he changed the subject. Laurel lifted the hem of her tunic. It appeared that they finished stitching her up at some point, and the wound had healed a considerable amount. Maybe she wasn't such a lost cause after all.

"Good, I think," she said, counting the number of stitches. "Maybe some time in the sun will help." The blond elf nodded and stood, holding a hand out to her. She placed her hand in his, allowing him to help her out of the bed. Once she was standing the room swirled and her head felt light. After a moment or two her vision corrected itself and she was ready to go. She had different breeches on and a different tunic than when she was brought into the healing halls and she assumed one of the healer's assistants probably changed them. She didn't have any shoes on, but she wasn't about to complain about that!

Glorfindel escorted her out into the garden and found a stone bench by one of the fountains in a sunny spot. They took a seat and Laurel smiled and closed her eyes as she felt the heat of the sun's rays warm her skin. When she opened her eyes she spotted the training grounds to her right. She saw Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, the hobbits, and Legolas. The latter had just happened to glance up at that moment, meeting her eyes. He smiled brightly when he saw her and she couldn't help but return the gesture. He had a contagious smile and she enjoyed being in his good graces once again. She turned back around to see the frown on the face of the elf next to her.

"What?" she asked. Glorfindel's glare was still trained on Legolas as he spoke.

"I don't trust him," came his clipped reply.

"Why not?" she questioned. He tore his gaze away from the prince of Mirkwood.

"He's part Silvan, and they are not to be trusted." Laurel tried to recall what she knew about the races of elves. The Silvan elves were wood elves, but Legolas didn't look like a wood elf, he looked more like Glorfindel in her opinion.

"But, he looks just like you," she countered. Glorfindel gave her an unamused look.

"His father, Thranduil, is Sindarin, and they appear somewhat similar to the Noldor," he explained. "His mother, however, was a full born Silvan elf." Laurel was trying to keep up with the different names and connect them to her previous knowledge on the subject.

"What's wrong with Silvan elves? He seems really nice, well, mostly," she mumbled.

"The wood elves are a distrustful, mischievous sort. They have held tight to their ancient ways and savage traditions." Laurel looked back to where the group was training. Legolas didn't seem like any of those things, granted she didn't know him very well, but she couldn't picture him as a savage. Sensing her disbelief, Glorfindel continued. "His father raised him in the ways of the Sindar, but the blood of his mother still courses through his veins. Silvan elves are quick to anger, impulsive, and wild. You would do well to keep your distance from him." He gave her a pointed look. Laurel held up her hands in defense.

"There's nothing going on between us, honest!" she defended herself. "I just find it hard to believe that he is any of those things you said."

"Just... be careful," he sighed. Laurel bumped his arm with her shoulder playfully.

"I will, I promise. But it's not like I can escape him, he is part of the fellowship."

"Unfortunately," he drawled, unamused. They stoped talking when they heard footsteps coming their way. They glanced up to see Boromir headed toward them. She could practically feel Glorfindel tense beside her, but she placed a calming hand on his arm as she stood to greet the man from Gondor.

"My lady," he bowed his head deeply to her. "It goes without saying that I behaved in an inexcusable manner during our training. I cannot express the enormity of the guilt I carry." He cast his eyes down to his feet. "From henceforth, should you still wish to accompany us, I will make your safety and protection a priority, you have my word." Laurel gave the man a soft smile. She could see that he was sincere and she was glad that he had made this grand gesture of an apology.

"Boromir," he looked up at her, meeting her gaze. "Thank you for the apology, and I forgive you." Boromir let out an audible sigh and gave her a smile of his own. "I will still be joining you all on this quest, but I do not intend to be a burden. However, I appreciate your concern and I thank you for your dedication to both the hobbits' and my safety." His smile grew and he bowed his head again to her, taking her hand and pressing a gentle kiss to the back of it.

"I am in your debt, milady." He released her hand and straightened up to his full height. "Would you care to join us for some light sparring when you feel well enough?" Laurel pressed a hand to her stomach subconsciously as she shivered at the thought of physical activity.

"Thank you," she said softly. "But I think I'll wait a few days before I do anymore training."

"I understand," he nodded. "We leave in four days time, so if you wish to resume training before our departure, you need only say so." The man made his polite exit and returned to where the rest of the fellowship was still training.

Laurel returned to her seat next to Glorfindel and chatted lightly as she soaked up some sun. He caught her up on the recent developments that she had missed during her extended slumber and she listened, almost absently, as her mind wandered back to what he had said about Silvan elves and Legolas.

* * *

Glorfindel could only stay for an hour or two before he had to oversee the patrols and continue his work with the guards. Once he had gone, Laurel made her way to the little spot she loved so much by the waterfall. She ducked under a few branches and carefully sidestepped some sharp rocks as she entered the little meadow. It felt like ages since she had been here!

"Hey everyone, I'm back!" she called out with a giggle. Soon, deer and rabbits and turtles emerged from the trees and the ponds. She made her way over to the water's edge and sat down with her feet in the clear, cool water. Fish splashed about near her toes and she felt a chipmunk scurry up her arm to perch on her shoulder. While she sat there, the dull ache in her stomach started to subside. Confused, she lifted the hem of her tunic. The wound had become less red and was no longer as painful. An idea popped into her head. When she drank lots of water and had lots of energy from the sun, she could heal her small scrapes and bruises.

Laurel stood up and shed her tunic and breeches. She left on her underwear, but rid herself of the contraption that kept her breasts in place. She waded into the pond and felt the cool water brush over her skin. She had never learned how to swim, so she reached a hand out to one of the turtles, picking him up and silently asking how he did it. She felt the motions his body made when he swam through the water in her mind and pictured herself doing the same. Setting the turtle back in the water, she decided to go for it. Diving into the deep water, she moved her arms and legs like she had seen the turtle do. When she opened her eyes she could see all the fish and the frogs and little snails that lived in the pond. There were lush, green water plants everywhere and she could see the roiling water where the waterfall fed into the pond at the far end. It was a rather deep pond and she felt her body glide through the water with ease.

An itchy feeling in her abdomen brought her back to the reason she was in the water in the first place. Glancing down, she was astonished to find that the wound had healed! All that was left were the coarse black stitches that itched like crazy. She motioned to a snapping turtle nearby and pointed to one of the first stitches. Understanding her request, the little turtle snapped through the first stitch and from there she could remove the remaining ones. Once they were all removed, there was nothing left but a faint white line. She was so busy examining the wound in awe that she had lost track of how long she had been underwater.

Oddly enough, her lungs didn't burn for air like they did during her training with Glorfindel. She felt content there under the water, but after a while she felt the need for a more substantial gulp of air.

Meanwhile, the fellowship, minus Laurel and Gandalf, had finished with their training for the time being and Legolas had been wanting to speak with Laurel. Anytime he came close to the healing halls, Glorfindel would run him off and refuse him entry. He had seen her get up from the bench in the garden and which direction she had gone, so once he put up his gear, he went looking for her. He walked in a straight line until he came to the tree line that bordered the gardens. He stopped and listened, hearing the faint sounds of splashing water in the distance.

Legolas made his way through the trees and could see a break where it let out into a small glen. He stopped before breaking from the cover of the trees when he spotted a small pile of clothes near the edge of the pond. He felt his cheeks heat up and he quickly pressed his back against one of the trees. He heard another splash of water and couldn't seem to keep himself from peeking behind the tree. His heart almost stopped when he saw her.

Laurel was standing in the pond, facing away from him with the waterline coming up to the small of her back. Her wet hair streamed all the way down to the water where the curled ends fanned out. His whole body felt hot and he knew he should just leave, that this was completely inappropriate. But he was rooted to the spot, watching water droplets trail down her creamy skin. It was then that he noticed the odd number of animals near her. There were deer and skunks and squirrels and birds. Bees and butterflies buzzed about her and she seemed to be talking to someone.

"What do you know about Silvan elves?" she asked. Legolas felt his breath catch at her question. Why was she asking about Silvan elves? And who was she talking to? He could see no one besides her there, but when she turned slightly to the side, he could see a small robin perched on her hand. He could also see the curve of her hip and the slight swell of her breast, but most of it was still covered by her arm that held the bird.

The bird chirped and she laughed, making him guess that maybe she had aimed the question at the bird. It was only when he heard her next question that he became more confused.

"What are those markings?" she asked, looking intently at the little bird. How did she know about Silvan markings? Those were something that few knew about the wood elves. The markings indicated a bonded pair of woodland elves, but since Legolas was only half Silvan, he didn't know if those markings would ever grace his skin. He heard Laurel let out a tinkling laugh as the little robin chirped happily.

"Oh I don't know about that!" she chuckled. "You wouldn't need a tattoo just to tell people that you're married or courting or something. Maybe it's some sort of family crest or a creative expression." Another bird came to rest on the shoulder of the arm that the robin was perched on and trilled lightly in her ear. "Oh, that's Legolas!"

Legolas felt his heart stop when she said his name. Did she know he was there? And how did she know these things about his people? Were the birds telling her? No, he thought to himself, that was ridiculous. But then again, most elves could communicate with the trees.

"Wow," she said softly. "I've never seen him fight before. He looks terrifying." Legolas frowned at her words. How could she know what he looked like when he was in battle?

"No, Legolas and I don't have that kind of relationship. He likes me sometimes, but then at other times he can be very hurtful," she sighed. The birds gave sad-sounding whistles and ruffled their feathers. He felt bad for giving her that impression, but it was hard for him to keep his distance from her when he knew that she was with Glorfindel, so he had tried to avoid her at all costs and seem disinterested in her. But that had backfired immensely.

"Well he's very handsome!" Legolas felt his cheeks heat up at her compliment. "He is a very nice looking robin, and I'm sure when your eggs hatch they will be just as striking!" He watched the bird on her shoulder nuzzle her cheek and he realized that she was talking about a bird and not him. How was she talking with these birds? Before he got a chance to ponder the answer, she turned toward him. He nearly choked when he caught the barest glimpse of her round breasts before he pressed his back against the tree. His heart was pounding out of his chest and could feel the increasing tightness of his breeches as they strained against his embarrassing display.

He could hear the shuffling of clothes and deduced that she was dressing so that she could leave. Without a backward glance, Legolas silently slipped away through the trees. He quickly made his way back into the gardens and then through the training grounds. He saw Aragorn sharpening his sword by the rest of their training equipment as he walked.

_"Mellon_!" his friend called to him. "What is the matter? You look as if you have seen the black riders." Legolas stopped walking and took a few calming breaths.

"No, _mellon nin_," he replied cooly. "I was just thinking about how terrible it will be to listen to the dwarf snore during our long journey." Aragorn laughed and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"You two will have to get along, you know," his friend gave him a knowing look. Legolas rolled his eyes with a small grin.

"Yes, yes, I know," he replied. He clapped his hand on Aragorn's shoulder this time and then made his way back to the main halls. He swiftly returned to his room and shut the door behind him. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and sunk onto his bed. He pulled off his boots and tunic and crossed his arms over his head, trying to calm his heart as he pictured Laurel in his mind at he pond. It was a few minutes before sleep took him, but he welcomed the feeling as he felt the tension in his body ebbing away.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen:

The dining hall was bursting with the sounds of joyous laughter, clanking silverware, and chair legs scooting across the stone floor. Laurel, despite her past misgivings when it came to meal time, was enjoying herself. She had been invited by Lord Elrond to attend the feast that was to celebrate their upcoming departure, so naturally she couldn't refuse. She had made the excuse that she had already eaten a short while before the dinner and so she was not hungry, but there was no reason why she could not also celebrate and enjoy the company.

To her left sat the dwarf, Gimli, to her right was Glorfindel. Merry and Pip were across from her and they were currently regaling to her a ferocious battle they had fought in against the Black riders.

"Oh aye," Pip said with a smile, "We barely escaped with our lives! Had it not been for our outstanding courage and battle skills, all of Middle Earth might have ended up in the gutter!" Laurel laughed at the embellishments as she took a sip of water. There was never a dull moment around these two hobbits.

"It's true!" Merry added. "One of those riders had our poor, dear Frodo pinned down, just waiting for death. But then I swooped in and sliced off one of their arms!"

"Is that right?" Laurel giggled. They both nodded vigorously with cheesy grins.

"Pay no mind to their antics, lassie." Gimli slurred slightly from beside her. Clearly he had drank his weight in ale. His cheeks were flushed under his thick beard and a few hiccups escaped from him when he tried to explain what Erebor was. Laurel listened patiently with a smile, hearing Gimli recount his father, Gloin's, adventure with Thorin Oakenshield and their company, which included one spritely Bilbo Baggins.

Laurel was amazed that all of these adventures and wild journeys had gone on under her nose. Saruman never told her about what was happening in the world beyond the tower, just that things were peaceful, which apparently they were not.

When the small band of musicians in the corner struck up a more lively tune, the hobbits all cheered and raced from their seats. A few rolls and some forks clanked to the floor in their hurry, but Laurel couldn't help but smile when she saw them hooking arms and swinging each other around on the small dance floor. Merry and Pip broke away and ran to where she was sitting. They pulled her from her seat and Laurel let herself be drug to where Sam and Frodo were still dancing about.

She laughed easily and hooked arms with Pip as they skipped in a small circle before she switched and locked arms with Frodo. She had to lean down a bit to reach them, but she was having more fun than she had in a very long time! Gimli soon joined in the fun and she chuckled as she watched him teeter on his feet when he moved too quickly. She held him steady when they switched partners again, and Boromir and Aragorn were pulled into the throng. Gandalf clapped along with the merriment from his seat next to Lord Elrond's and Legolas smiled at them from his place next to Elladan.

However, the hobbits did not let the elf off the hook so easily. It took the strength of all four hobbits to pull Legolas from his chair. They pulled him into the moving circle of dancing bodies and Legolas gave a chuckle as he turned in circles with Aragorn. Laurel laughed brightly as she danced around with Sam and then Pip, her feet starting to ache slightly from all the times one of the hobbits accidentally stepped on her feet, not that she was complaining. When they traded partners once more, she smiled when she saw Legolas before her.

Legolas blanched when he saw her, but quickly schooled his features to resemble the classic blank look Glorfindel always wore. Laurel frowned when he looked reluctant to dance with her, so she switched directions and instead took the arm of Boromir. The strawberry blond man was more than happy to dance with her, having had his own fair share of wine this evening. He pulled her into his arms and spun her around, an easy chuckle falling from his lips as they bumped into Aragorn and Frodo. Boromir passed her off to Aragorn and she smiled at the ranger when he took her arm.

"How are you faring?" he asked as they spun each other around.

"I'm doing well," she responded easily. "How are you? And Arwen of course, I don't get very many opportunities to speak with her as frequently anymore." Aragorn had a smile on his face, but in his eyes she could see sadness.

"We are both well." Laurel nodded and sent him a warm smile as she turned to lock arms with Frodo. She danced with a few more hobbits and once more with Gimli before she excused herself from the dance floor. She was getting slightly dizzy from all the spinning and desperately needed a drink of water. She sat down in her previous seat next to Glorfindel and took a greedy drink from her goblet. Setting it down, she glanced back over to the dancing fellowship. She frowned when she watched Legolas spinning about with Frodo, an effortless smile on his face.

She felt her heart sink. Why was he upset with her now? He had seemed happy to see her when they locked eyes from across the garden a few days ago, but he had avoided her like the plague since then. Noticing her expression, Glorfindel nudged her arm with his.

"What has put such a sour look on your face?" Laurel sighed as she turned to look up at the elf beside her.

"Legolas has been acting strange around me again."

"Strange how?" Glorfindel pursed his lips. She shrugged and took another long sip from her cup.

"He's been avoiding me I think, and he didn't want to dance with me earlier, so I have no idea. We haven't spoken since he carried me to the healing hall." Glorfindel's eyes narrowed slightly as he cast a glare over her head to where the group was still dancing.

"I told you to be wary of him," he reminded her. She nodded absently, glancing over to where he was dancing. She couldn't seem to shake the image of him fighting in her mind. The little robins that she had spoken to a few days ago had shown her glimpses of him from when they had been in the Greenwood. His face had been cold and his fighting style was calculated and deadly. It was in stark contrast to the same elf that held her in his arms when she was crying on the training fields. She remembered seeing some of the elves from Mirkwood with strange markings on their necks just behind their ears. She didn't think Legolas had one of them, but then again she never actively looked for it, so she couldn't say for sure. Maybe she should ask Glorfindel what the markings were for. Although, he might have a biased opinion on the matter.

Laurel excused herself and said goodnight to Glorfindel. She thanked Lord Elrond for the meal and said goodnight to his sons and his daughter as well as Gandalf. She exited the dining hall in lower spirits than she had entered and silently made her way to her room. Kicking off her boots, she stripped out of the breeches and tunic and slipped into the tub of warm water that some of the servants had prepared for her. She soaked in the water for a while, letting her thoughts meander and rubbing a lavender-scented soap over her arms. She lathered her long hair and combed through a few tangles as she washed it.

Laurel lost track of how long she had been in the tub, but it was long enough that her fingers and toes became wrinkled. She was feeling slightly anxious about their departure in the morning, but she needed to get some rest. Drying herself off, she slipped on a pair of underwear and a comfortable sleeping shirt. She pulled back the duvet and slipped into the bed, resting her still wet hair on the pillow next to her. Sleep came easily enough, but the next time she would fall asleep they would be on the road to Mordor, not in the safety of her warm bed in Rivendell.

* * *

"The ring bearer is setting out on a quest to Mount Doom," Lord Elrond began. They had gathered the next morning in the courtyard and were about to embark on their journey. "On you who travel with him, no oath or bond is laid to go farther than you will." He met all of their eyes as he spoke, landing lastly on Laurel.

"Farewell, hold true to you purpose, may the blessings of elves and men and free folk go with you," he concluded. Laurel gave the elf a nervous smile.

"The fellowship awaits the ring bearer," Gandalf spoke up. All eyes turned to Frodo. The hobbit gulped and steeled himself. Slowly, he made his way through their group and they parted for him as he made his way to the front gate. He took in a deep breath and stepped beyond the walls of Rivendell. They all followed suit, passing through the gates with Gandalf and Frodo leading and Aragorn taking up the rear.

Laurel glanced back and felt sadness in her heart at the look Arwen had on her face. Aragorn and Arwen said a silent goodbye with their eyes, and Laurel wondered what that feeling must be like. She didn't envy them at the moment, but she did envy the love they obviously shared for each other. She walked in front of Aragorn and behind Gimli, next to their pony, Bill. She pressed her palm to Bill's neck and felt his excitement. Apparently, he did not receive as much attention in_ Imladris_ as the other horses, so he was excited to be doing something new. Although, he also felt a little bummed out that he had to carry most of their belongings, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.

They trudged on through the forests surrounding _Imladris_ and into the flatter, tree-less scape that she partially remembered from her escape from Saruman. The sun was bright and high in the sky, so she had plenty of energy. She had almost chickened out while they were packing their bags, but Glorfindel had come in to help her pack and revitalized her confidence. She chose not to add her load to Bill's saddle and instead carried her small pack herself. There were two tunics and two breeches, a bedroll, a few pairs of underwear, some cloths for that special time of the month (unfortunately that was part of normal human physiology that she had still been stuck with), and a couple breast-holder things. She needed to find something better to call them, she thought to herself. She knew that Sam had packed the food, since he was the designated cook, and that he packed food her her as well. Gandalf had suggested that she take the offered food and simply replace it in the sack or pot when no one was looking.

They had been walking for well over three and a half hours before Gandalf called for them to rest. There was a collective sigh from the hobbits at the news and Gimli also seemed to be relieved. Legolas bounded up the next hill to scout their path and keep watch. Aragorn soon joined him and Boromir assisted the hobbits in their search for the water canteens before they tore everything apart. That left Laurel and Gandalf. She locked eyes with the wizard and pointed over to a small shrub where she figured a few birds might be. He gave her a knowing smile and a nod before taking a seat on a boulder.

Laurel padded off in the direction they had just come and found the shrub they had recently passed. She stuck her hand blindly into the shrub and waited a few moments. She smiled as she heard a bird chirp and felt its feet perched on her index finger. She carefully withdrew her hand, finding a small brown bird with black stripes down its back and a white underbelly.

"I need your help," she whispered to the little bird. "My friends and I are traveling West toward the Misty Mountains and we need someone to fly with us and watch out for trouble. Do you think you can help us?" The bird trilled and fluffed out its feathers, drawing a smile from her.

"Thank you so much!" she whispered, pressing a kiss to it head and watching it fly off. Luckily, there weren't many animals out here to follow her around, so that was good. But she had to think of a plan now for if that situation arose. Laurel made her way back over to the group and picked up a canteen of water, taking a few large gulps. She wiped her mouth on the collar of her tunic and replaced the container back on Bill's saddle, again thanking him for his efforts. She gave a silent sigh as she settled herself down on a patch of grass near Gandalf, not noticing until now that her feet were becoming a bit sore.

"Alright, let's keep moving," Aragorn called as he and Legolas returned to the group. Laurel inwardly groaned. She got back up and moved to stand by the hobbits. They picked up the same pace and committed to another two hours of walking before lunchtime. There wasn't much talking while they walked, save for Aragorn and Gandalf discussing plans and directions, and of course the occasional complaint from Gimli.

Two hours later, Aragorn called for lunch. The group practically dropped where they were. Sam looked like he was almost too tired to even get their lunch out of his pack. The hobbits rubbed their feet as they waited for their food. Laurel was feeling the ache in her feet now as well. Training with Glorfindel had not prepared her for hours of just walking. The fellowship sat in a circle as Sam prepared them a small meal of bread, cheese, and sausage. Legolas, being an elf that didn't consume meat, chose instead to keep watch again. Sam smiled at her as he handed her some food. She smiled in thanks and flicked her eyes over to where Gandalf was sitting between Gimli and Boromir. He gave her a look that meant to wait and she gave him an imperceptible nod. She took her food with her to stand next to Bill. Laurel brushed her fingers through his mane, ridding it of tangles and patting his neck affectionately.

After a while she noticed that everyone was finishing up their lunch and she casually walked back over, depositing her food back in Sam's pack while he was turned away. She brushed her hands on her pants and turned around. She froze as she saw Legolas watching her. He gave her a confused look and Laurel started to panic. He started walking toward her and she felt her heart start pounding. How would she explain this? Deciding to take matters into her own hands before he said something that the others might hear, she took a few steps toward Legolas and grabbed his arm, pulling him off to the side.

"Listen, Legolas," she began with an almost pleading tone, "I know you're probably wonder-"

"It's alright," Legolas interjected. Laurel snapped her mouth shut. Did he already know? Who had told him? Gandalf? Lord Elrond? Seeing her confusion, Legolas gave her a soft smile. "I must confess, I overheard a conversation you had with Glorfindel one evening," he gave her a sheepish look. Laurel blanched at his words, the color draining from her face in horror.

"I heard you say that you didn't have a family and that you weren't from Bree like everyone thinks that you are," he trailed off, gauging her reaction.

"Legolas, I'm so sorry! Pleas don't tell anyone!" Laurel rushed in a panic.

"I won't say anything," he assured her, seeing her relax slightly. "We all have secrets we would rather keep to ourselves, I understand that and I won't pry. I just want you to know that you can always talk to me." Now it was Laurel's turn to give him a confused look. Why was he being nice to her again? He had refused to dance with her the previous evening and now he says that she can confide in him?

"Thank you, Legolas," she said warily. He gave her a polite nod and a smile and stepped around her to rejoin the fellowship. Laurel was left standing there in a daze. Did that really just happen? Legolas knows that she's hiding something and now he's being cordial with her again. She huffed in thought, he would probably hate her again tomorrow she surmised, and followed him back to the group.

"We must hold this course West of the Misty Mountains for forty days," she heard Gandalf's voice say. "If our luck holds, the gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there, our road turns East to Mordor." Laurel watched as Boromir had begun to spar with Merry and Pip, enjoying the two lively Hobbits' antics.

"If anyone was to ask for my opinion, which they're not, I'd say we're taking the long way around," Gimli grumbled in response to Gandalf's' plan. "Gandalf, we could pass through the mines of Moria, my cousin, Balin, will give us a royal welcome!"

"No, Gimli," Gandalf drawled. "I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice." Laurel winced internally for Gimli at Gandalf's rejection. Her attention was drawn away from the two when she heard Merry and Pip shouting as they tackled Boromir. They laughed and hollered and even tackled Aragorn when he stepped in to pull them off of Boromir. Laurel laughed at the scene, but stilled when she felt a small weight on her shoulder. The little brown and black bird was perched on there, and it rubbed its small head against her cheek..

In her mind she saw a large flock of black crows headed their way. They appeared to be the same crows that she would occasionally see when Saruman would visit her tower. They were mean, nasty birds and they spelled bad news. She sent the bird a quick feeling of gratitude before letting it fly off. She quickly walked over to where Gandalf was sitting.

"What's that?" she heard Sam say. She turned to where he was looking and saw the flock in the distance. She turned, moving faster now toward Gandalf.

"Nothing, it's just a wisp of clouds," Gimli grumbled. Laurel placed a hand on Gandalf's arm when she reached him.

"Gandalf, it's Saruman's crows," she explained in rush. Seeing his eyes widen, she knew he understood the severity of the situation.

"Crebain, from Dunland!" Legolas called out. Laurel watched as everyone dashed for cover or grabbed their things that were out in the open. She turned to see Legolas grab her and throw them under the cover of a large bush. Laurel felt the breath leave her lungs as she hit the ground. Legolas was perched over her and his hair was in her face. They stayed motionless as they heard the loud caws of the flock as they passed overhead. Laurel cringed, gripping Legolas' arms. She remembered when she was in the tower she had seen some of those terrible birds ripping another smaller bird to pieces. She did not like those foul things one bit. Legolas gently ran his hand through the top of her hair in comfort while they waited. She looked up into his light gray-blue eyes, studying them. Likewise, Legolas peered down into her bright emerald ones, his face soft as he searched her eyes.

Once the birds were gone, she felt Legolas' weight being lifted off of her. She gasped and took in a large gulp of air. That elf was heavier than he looked. Legolas glanced down at her and held out a hand to help her up, which she accepted.

"My apologies," he said softly, checking her over for injuries. "Are you alright?" Laurel nodded in response, pulling a few twigs from her hair.

"Spies of Saruman," Gandalf huffed."The passage South is being watched. We must take the pass of Caradhas!" Laurel had no idea what that meant, but she gathered that it was a less favorable option to the gap of Rohan. The fellowship quickly packed up their things and replaced them on Bill's saddle. Gandalf and Legolas took the lead and Boromir and Aragorn made sure the hobbits were on their feet and moving. Laurel trotted over to where Gimli was and decide to walk alongside him. He gave her a gruff nod in acknowledgment and then the group started moving again.

They had turned around and left the sloping rocky ridges they had been on, back to the more grassy areas before rising in elevation again. The ground started to become more rocky than grassy, and before long snow began to fall. Laurel couldn't feel the warmth of the sun any longer and wrapped her arms around herself. With cold fingers, she undid the tie on her sack and pulled out the cloak she had almost forgotten about. She fastened it around her neck and trudged on with the group, an unpleasant feeling settling in her stomach.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen:

The wind whipped at her cheeks as they trudged through the snow that seemed to grow deeper by the minute. Laurel held tight to Bill as they walked, constantly checking on the pony to make sure he was doing alright. The hobbits were having the worst go of things, seeing as they had no shoes and all members seemed to be ill-equipped for the snow. Bill was okay, but his hooves were starting to go numb from the snow and Laurel rubbed a stiff hand over his neck in comfort. She heard a shuffle behind her and turned in time to see Frodo lose his balance.

The small hobbit tumbled backwards a few yards before Aragorn quickly helped him to his feet. He patted the front of his tunic, his eyes widening when he didn't feel the ring hanging there from its chain. They all looked up when they saw Boromir standing to the side, the ring dangling from a silver chain in his hand.

"Boromir," Aragorn called in warning. The blond man just stood there, gazing at the ring.

"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing," he trailed off, watching as the gold band spun slowly with the wind.

"Boromir!" Aragorn called, louder this time, which seemed to jostle him out of his trance-like state. "Give the ring to Frodo." Boromir walked down to where the two were standing, gently lowering the ring into Frodo's grasp.

"As you wish, I care not," he said lightly, trying to seem unaffected by the one ring. He ruffled Frodos hair with a tight smile before he turned back around. There was an uneasy tension now and Laurel tried her best to just focus on putting one foot in front of the other. As they started moving again, she felt the tiredness start to seep into her bones. They had all seemed to have lost track of how long they had been wading through the snow.

As they pushed on, the winds picked up even more and the snow was coming down in massive amounts, sticking to their hair and clothes, weighing them down. Laurel had hooked one of her arms over the horn of Bill's saddle and the little pony was basically dragging her along at this point. Legolas, who was barely affected by the snow and hardly sank an inch into it, charged in front of the group listening to the howling of the wind.

"There is a fell voice on the air," he called back to them. They could all hear the chanting, harrowing voice of the white wizard in the winds now.

"It's Saruman!" Gandalf shouted over the storm. They heard the cracking of ice and snow above them and large, icy rocks came hurtling down the cliff face toward them. They pressed themselves as close as they could to the mountain, the rocks just missing them and bounding down into the great chasm below.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain!" Aragorn shouted. "Gandalf, we must turn back!"

"No!" the wizard cried. Gandalf began chanting his own words, trying to counteract Saruman's damage, but to no avail. There was a crack of lightning and more rocks and snow came thundering down upon them. Sam had pushed Bill closer to the cliff, squeezing the breath out of Laurel as she was crushed between the mountain and the pony. The snow buried them up to their heads and Laurel felt nothing but crushing pressure and intense cold. She couldn't hear the muffled sounds of the others as they climbed out of the snow.

Everyone had dug themselves free and Boromir had brushed the snow away from Bill's head so he could breathe again.

"We must get off the mountain, make for the gap of Rohan!" Boromir called out. "We'll take the west road to my city!"

"The gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn argued.

"If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it! Let us go through the mines of Moria," Gimli suggested. After a few silent moments, Gandalf spoke.

"Let the ring-bearer decide." Everyone turned to Frodo, and the small hobbit shivered as he glanced at Sam, not knowing what to choose.

"We cannot stay here!" Boromir reminded them with a sense of urgency. "This will be the death of the hobbits!"

"Frodo?" Gandalf sent him a questioning look, the icy wind whipping at his beard and robes.

"We will go through the mines," the hobbit said, shaking from the bitter cold and violent winds.

"So be it," Gandalf practically groaned. Aragorn took a head count to make sure everyone was there.

"Eight, nine... ten? We're missing someone," he announced. Realization dawned on him. "Where is Laurel?" Legolas' head snapped up. He quickly scanned the group, not seeing her anywhere. He pushed his way toward the pony, where he had seen her walking beside earlier. Bill was still half submerged in snow and Legolas quickly dug down on Bill's left side, feeling Laurel's wet hair underneath. He shoveled the snow from around her in a mad frenzy, freeing her head, then her arms, before her lifted her out of the snow. Her whole body was shaking from the cold and her lips and fingers were blue.

"Laurel!" Legolas called out to her. She cracked her eyes open, seeing Legolas' face before her.

"Leg-g-olas," she stammered. The elf scooped her up in his arms and wrapped his cloak around her as best he could.

"This way!" he called to the rest of the group. He started quickly down the mountain, nearly snapping at the rest of the fellowship to hurry. He pressed Laurel's cold body closer to his, trying to offer her a little warmth. Aragorn came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"How is she, _mellon_?" he asked gently. He knew that Legolas had feelings beyond friendship for this woman, so he didn't say anything when Legolas hefted her small frame from the snow and then took off down the mountain. His friend looked over to him with worried eyes.

"She's still conscious, but maybe not for much longer." Aragorn nodded and did his best to help the hobbits descend the mountain. They had an easier time descending the snowy mountain than ascending, so it was quicker, but not quick enough for Legolas. He rubbed her arm as he walked, trying to keep her awake.

"Laurel, speak to me," he demanded. She no longer had the energy to open her eyes, but she tried her best to listen and respond.

"Hi," she sighed, barely above a whisper. Legolas snorted slightly at her response, but at least that was something. They trudged on, making slow progress, but eventually made it to the base of the mountain where the snow and wind gave way to rocks and fog. When Gandalf made it clear that Bill could not journey with them through the mines, the weary travelers each took some of Bill's load from his saddle. Sam said a teary goodbye to the little pony when no one was looking, and they let him loose to hopefully find his way back to Rivendell.

Gandalf led them down a rocky trail that began to increase in elevation slightly, but not in the direction of the mountain they had just descended. The wizard motioned for Frodo.

"Frodo, come and help an old man." The hobbit quickly caught up with their leader, allowing him to brace his arm on his smaller shoulders as they walked.

"How is your shoulder?"

"Better than it was," Frodo supplied tiredly.

"The Ring?" Frodo glanced down at the shape the ring made beneath his tunic. "You feel its power growing, don't you?" Frodo gave the wizard an imperceptible nod. "I felt it too," Gandalf reassured the small hobbit. The two passed these whispers between themselves as their troop pushed on, Frodo's spirit growing heavier with each step.

The ranger brought up the rear of the group and helped maintain their pace as the sun set in the sky and darkness came upon them. He could see Legolas ahead of him, trying his best to get Laurel to speak to him, but it was obvious that she had fallen unconscious. He was beginning to doubt the wizard's judgement for bringing this woman along. They eventually made their way to a little lake that was bordered on one side by a large stone wall that seem to blend up into the face of a large mountain.

"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," Gimli announced when they stopped in front of the large expanse of stone.

"Yes Gimli," Gandalf responded, "Even their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas muttered in an uncharacteristic fashion, drawing a look from Aragorn. The clouds overhead that had blocked most of the moonlight from the sky began to part, revealing the presence of the dwarf door.

"It reads, 'The doors of Durin, Lord of Moria, speak friend and enter'," Gandalf translated.

"What do you suppose that means?" Pip questioned with a confused look at the glowing markings.

"Oh it's quite simple, if you are a friend you speak the password and the doors will open," the wizard explained. Gandalf pushed up his sleeves and squared himself up to gate, lifting his arms and staff as he began to chant. The fellowship watched with anticipation as the wizard tried two or tree different passwords.

"Nothing's happening," Merry whispered up to Legolas. They watched as Gandalf muttered frustratedly under his breath and tried pushing against the stones.

"What are you going to do then?" Pip spoke up, his voice eerily loud in the quiet of the night.

"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrine Took! And if that does not work, then I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions while I try to find the opening words." Pip shrunk back behind Merry at the wizards gruff words.

While Gandalf muttered and stared at the door, the hobbits investigated the dark, still water of the small lake. A fine fog hung over most of its surface and dead, twisted branches rose from its depths near the shallower edges. Out of boredom, Merry and Pip had found some nice looking stones and began hurling them as far as they could into the lake. Aragorn quickly whipped around and grabbed Pip's hand that was loaded with a fresh stone, ready to catapult it into the depths.

"Do not disturb the water," he warned the hobbits with a grim expression. The ranger looked back over the water, noticing that the ripples from the stones had not ceased, and were instead moving slowly over the entire surface of the lake. Boromir came up behind him, looking over his shoulder at the strange sight. The water continued to ripple, even though no more stones had been tossed.

Frodo was more preoccupied with the conundrum at the gate.

"It's a riddle," he whispered. "Speak friend... and enter... What's the Elvish word for friend?" he asked the gray wizard.

"_Mellon_," Gandalf's gravelly voice echoed in the night. The sound of crumbling stone and rocks sliding alerted the group that the doors had opened to them. The fellowship quickly hurried through the gate, waiting for Gandalf to shed some light.

"Soon, Master elf, you will enjoy the famous hospitality of the dwarves!" Gimli boasted, his voice echoing off the dusty walls of the mine. "Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone! This my friend is the home of my cousin, Balin," he went on as Gandalf's staff emitted a dim light, illuminating part of the entrance to the mines. "And they call it a mine!"

"This is no mine," Boromir said after taking in the dust-covered skeletons with arrows protruding from their bones. "It is a tomb." The rest of the fellowship let out gasps as they pieced together the carnage that had taken place here long ago. Gimli cried out in anguish as he sunk to his knees near a few of the remains. Legolas spotted an arrow laying on the ground and recognized the design.

"Goblins," the elf whispered, clutching Laurel tighter to his chest.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan," Boromir declared, brandishing his sword as the group started to take retreating steps toward the entrance. "We should never have come here. Now get out, get out!" The hobbits began to turn to beat a hasty retreat when a slimy tentacle wrapped itself around Frodo's ankle, dragging him toward the black water of the lake.

"Frodo!" Sam shouted, chasing after his friend. "Strider!" he called to Aragorn for help as Merry hacked at the tentacle with his small sword. The hobbits managed to free their friend and haul him away from the shore line as the injured tentacle slithered back into the water. Suddenly, half a dozen more arms sprang forth, knocking the others down and one hoisting Frodo into the air.

Legolas carefully placed Laurel against the stone wall with his cloak wrapped around her and reached for his bow and arrows. Frodo was suspended over the now exposed mouth of the creature that the tentacles belonged to, shouting and thrashing in the air. Legolas fired arrows into the arms holding the hobbit, causing it to switch arms, but Boromir and Aragorn were busy slicing through the many tentacles they could reach from the water line.

With a final slash, the beast released Frodo. The hobbit fell through the air and landed in the waiting arms of Boromir. Frodo tried to calm his racing heart and breathing as they scrambled back toward the entrance to the mine. However, before they reached the entrance, one of the tentacles shot ahead of them and wrapped itself around Laurel. The unconscious woman was easily plucked from the grass and drug into the dark water.

"NO!" Legolas bellowed, not fast enough to reach her in time. He was about to spring into the water when Boromir and Gimli pulled him back. "Laurel!" The elf tried violently to shake them off, but they had a tight hold on him, keeping him from jumping in after her.

"_Mellon_!" Aragorn grabbed his friend's shoulders and shook him as he pushed him back toward the mine. "I am sorry, _mellon nin_, but there is nothing we can do for her now. She is gone." He hated to say it, but they had to get out of there and she was already unconscious with no way to fight back. Legolas felt numb as he was dragged hurriedly into the mine, his eyes still trained on the spot where she had slipped beneath the water's surface. While they were retreating, the monster's remaining arms chased after them, beating against the stones surrounding the dwarf door. The entrance began to shake and bits of dust and rock shook loose from the ceiling and walls. Huge masses of stones tumbled down, sealing the entrance and putting a barrier between them and the creature from the lake.

Legolas dropped to his knees once the dust began to settle. The hobbits started to come out of their adrenaline-fueled shock and truly realized what had just happened to the only woman in their fellowship.

"She's gone," Sam's voice quivered quietly. Tears slipped down the hobbit's faces as they wrapped their arms around each other in comfort. Gimli even had to brush the back of his hand across his cheek as he gave a small sniff. Gandalf had been one of the first ones through the gate and the furthest from the commotion and hadn't had the time or vantage point to take in what had transpired, but he could deduce it well enough. His eyes glistened with unshed tears in the dim light from his staff.

"Perhaps, you all should know now Lady Laurel's true purpose for joining the fellowship."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen:

"Perhaps, you all should know now Lady Laurel's true purpose for joining the fellowship."

They all glanced up to Gandalf, confusion and sadness written across their faces. Legolas cast a glance over his shoulder at the wizard's words. Aragorn had known Legolas for nearly all his life and he had never seen such a distraught look grace the usually calm and collected elf's face.

"What do you mean true purpose?" Boromir was the first to speak. Gandalf motioned for them to follow him and he promised to explain it to them quietly while they made their way through the dark mines.

"Laurel had not wished to divulge this information to the fellowship, but I feel if it were to remain a secret, it would do her memory a disservice." The group trudged behind the wizard, hanging onto each word that fell from his lips. Legolas was the last one trailing the furthest behind, not wanting the others to witness his anguish, but being an elf he could still easily hear Gandalf's words.

"Laurel was born many centuries ago to a farmer and his wife," he began. A few gasps came from the hobbits.

"You mean to say that woman was over a hundred years of age?" Boromir questioned incredulously.

"I am saying, Lord Boromir, that she was over a thousand years of age," Gandalf cast a glance back at the man and continued on. "Please, hold your burning inquiries until the end." The hobbits all gave silent nods as they followed the wizard over a winding stone causeway.

"Her eyes were a beautiful shade of green, but their change in shade frightened her parents, prompting them to seek the advice of the Istari. Saruman offered to take the child, but told no one of her existence, not even the other wizards. As a child, she would not eat like normal children, instead absorbing her energy from the sun like a plant." Legolas' head snapped up upon hearing that. He thought back to all the times she had refused to join them for meals and why she spent so much of her time out in the gardens.

"The small girl had been blessed by the goddess, Yavanna, and was given the ability to help plants to grow and could communicate with Middle Earth's many creatures." Gandalf let out a sigh as he continued. "Saruman had locked her in a tall, remote tower and lead her to believe that she would be hated and abused in some way should anyone learn of her gifts."

"That's absurd! We loved Laurel!" Sam whispered angrily. Gandalf nodded solemnly to the small hobbit.

"Lord Elrond, Glorfindel and I were the only souls that knew her secret, and we tried our best to encourage her to trust in others. In the end, it seemed she could not move passed that deeply ingrained fear that Saruman had seeded in her as a child." They made a few turns and softly padded down a dark corridor as Gandalf went on.

"She escaped one day and made her way to Rivendell with the help of animals she encountered. She asked them to keep watch over her in the nights and to keep an eye out for any dangerous passersby that she need avoid. That was why we had asked her to join the fellowship," he explained. "She did not want to embark on this journey, it was only through the pleading of Lord Elrond and myself that she agreed. She was meant to help make sure our path was clear of danger through communication with the birds along the way. They would fly in each direction and notify her if orcs or other dangers were close by. In fact, she was the one who alerted the guards in Rivendell of the orc ambush on the patrol."

Legolas felt his heart clench. He knew she had been keeping secretes from them, but he never knew that she played such an important role under their noses. They had treated her as an inconvenience or a burden at times, when really she was one of the ones doing the most to help them.

"She had already mastered archery and daggers before she came to us, but Glorfindel helped her with the sword and honed her close combat techniques. She was told to train with the fellowship to build camaraderie, but she was afraid to show her true skill level for fear that it would bring about questions she did not wish to answer."

Now it was Boromir's turn to feel guilty. He had lashed out at her for her supposed lack of skill and had sent her to the healing halls because of it, all the while labeling her as a foolish and frail woman. He hung his head low in the shame that he felt as he walked behind Gimli and the hobbits.

"Glorfindel was her trainer?" Everyone paused for a moment when they heard Legolas speak up from behind them. His voice was low and they could see the sadness in his eyes as he waited for an answer. Gandalf gave the elf a sympathetic look, knowing full well that Legolas had assumed like many others that Laurel and Glorfindel maintained a romantic relationship.

"Indeed."

* * *

Laurel felt cold all over. The last thing she remembered was Legolas carrying her through the snow down the mountain. Her lungs felt tight and she couldn't move any of her limbs. All around her was complete darkness. Cold darkness.

Suddenly, a bright light appeared and she had to squint her eyes so as not to be blinded by it. A beautiful woman in flowing green robes and long, curled, chestnut hair appeared before her. She was absolutely stunning and the light seemed to radiate from her as she drew closer.

"Sweet Laurel," an ethereal voice spoke. Her eyes grew wide as she realized the woman was speaking to her. She gave the young woman a smile. "I have been watching you, little one," she said softly.

"Who-who are you?" Laurel stammered.

"I am Yavanna, sweet one. I am the one that blessed you with your gifts." Laurel's mouth gaped as she listened.

"Where am I? Why can't I move?" she asked, still wanting to know what exactly was going on. The woman gave her a sympathetic smile.

"My watcher has you. I created him many centuries ago to guard over this lake, but unfortunately the orcs found him. They tortured him and turned him into a rather cruel beast with a hatred for visitors. I have informed him that he is to release you." Laurel nodded, but she had no idea what this "watcher" was or about any lake.

"I have come because your body is trying to leave this world," she explained. Laurel gasped in shock at her words. She was dying? Was this from the cold or from this watcher thing she was talking about? Her thoughts immediately went to Legolas. She liked him very much and she hoped he was not too distraught over her condition.

"It is not yet your time, little one, there is still much more left for you to do." Laurel was pulled from her thoughts and back to the current conversation with the goddess.

"What do you mean? I have been nothing but a burden to the fellowship and most of them do not want me to accompany them. I have no use for them," she sighed, remembering the times she had nearly died or gotten hurt and they had saved her. Yavanna smiled at the woman.

"They will need you more now than they ever have, you will see. I have given you these gifts for a reason. Use them, trust in your companions, and do not be afraid to let others into your heart." She felt her cheeks start to heat up when she realized she was probably talking about Legolas.

"So what happens now if I'm dying?" she asked. Laurel felt her body begin to grow warm as Yavanna began to lift her hands. Yavanna smiled lovingly down at the woman as she started to fade from sight.

"Wait!" Laurel called out to her. She still had so many questions! She grew even warmer now and the darkness began to fade away into light. The light became brighter and brighter around her and she squeezed her eyes shut. She gasped in a lungful of air when her body broke the surface. A large, gentle tentacle had lifted her body from the water and placed her body on the warm grassy bank of the lake. She sputtered and coughed as water came out of her lungs and her skin heated under the bright rays of the sun.

She watched the slimy arm retreat back into the murky water and then flopped onto her back in the grass. She looked around, trying to see if she remembered where she was, but she had no memory of this place. On one side there seemed to be a rocky avalanche of some sort and there were pieces of tentacles and blood on the shoreline next to it. She had a feeling that the fellowship had been there.

So, what had happened to her? Did they leave her to die? Was she too much for them to carry and keep around so they tossed her to this octopus-squid-watcher thing for his dinner? Laurel had to mentally slap herself. No, they wouldn't do that to her. Legolas wouldn't allow it.

When she thought of the woodland elf, she became aware of the heavy, wet cloak that was draped around her. That was Legolas' cloak that he had wrapped her in on the mountain. Laurel smiled softly as she ran her fingers gently over the fibers and waited for her clothes to dry a bit in the sun.

After about an hour, Laurel sat up, dusting off her breeches and tunic, and vowed that she would tell the fellowship her secret when she caught up with them. But, now that they were separated, how would she find them?

* * *

Many hours had since passed from when she emerged from the lake and the sun was now high in the sky. She didn't know where she was heading, but the deer she sat astride seemed to know. He took her through dense forests and over streams, eventually coming to a narrow, rocky pass through the mountains. She felt from the buck that this pass was not known to the men of Middle Earth, and only a few elves knew of its location. It was extremely narrow and lined by the sharp rocky edges of the two mountains that bordered each side. The buck's antlers would not permit his passage, so Laurel thanked him kindly as she slipped off of his back.

"Thank you, my friend," she said gently as she stroked his neck. She called to a few birds that were perched in a tree nearby and they quickly flew down to her, resting on either shoulder. "Would you mind flying ahead of and behind me while I pass through this crevice?" The birds chirped sweetly in her ears and took off, swooping high and low to scout the way.

Laurel had to turn sideways and step over the loose stones that littered the bottom of the passage. She could feel the rocks scraping against her arms and occasionally her face. Her long, luxurious brown hair became tangled and dusty from the walls and she smelled of mildew and wet stones.

The progress was slow-going, but she pressed on, nearly twisting her ankle when some of the stones underfoot shifted from her weight. Two or three hours had gone by and she sorely needed to rest, but she couldn't even turn around or sit down when she was pressed tightly against these rocky walls. She took in a shaky breath and managed a few more steps, ignoring the throbbing she felt in her feet.

She staggered her way through the tight passage as the sun began to droop lower in the sky. By now she was really sore, and really tired, and really irritable. Bracing her hands against the walls, she leaned her back against the other and called out to the little birds flying overhead. The one that had been scouting ahead of her came down to rest on her forearm.

"How much longer does this pass go on for?" she said with exasperation. The little sparrow hopped a few times on her arm and tweeted lightly. She saw from the birds eyes that she still had a few more miles to go, but that it was certainly a shorter trip than going over or under the mountains. Laurel gave the bird a silent nod of thanks before it took off again. She rested her head against the stones and closed her eyes for a few moments, taking a deep breath. She released a long sigh and shook out her shoulders and feet as best she could.

"Alright, let's do this."

She powered on, ignoring the pain, the scrapes, the sore feeling seeping into her bones. The sunlight barely filtered in through the small ravine, but it was enough to keep her going. An hour later found her close to the end. She heard the chirping of the birds and felt a relieved smile form on her face. The end was finally in sight! She pushed through the last narrow few feet and tumbled out onto soft grass.

"I did it," she let out a breathy laugh as she laid there for a few moments. Eventually, she sat up and spotted a small pond a good few yards East of where she was. Hauling her sore, tired body off the ground, Laurel made her way over to the pond and sat down by its edge. She took off her boots and rolled up the hems of her breeches while she stuck her feet in the cool water. The setting sun was beautiful as it cast watery shades of oranges, pinks and reds across the surface of the pond.

She remembered her lessons with Gandalf and tried to concentrate on the water. She imagined the water leeching the soreness from her feet and she felt the water doing just that. A sigh of relief parted her smile and she laid back on the grass with her feet still dangling in the water. Maybe it wouldn't hurt if she just stayed here a little while, she pondered, feeling sleep start to creep over her.

The crickets chirped in the warm air and the sun's last rays slipped below the horizon, sending the cue for the fireflies to light the evening air. Laurel sighed contently as she breathed in the smell of wildflowers that drifted on the slight breeze. Tomorrow she would resume her journey, but for now she would rest.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen:

A cold, wet feeling on her cheek woke Laurel that next morning. Squinting her eyes and yawning, she glanced to her left to find a skunk rubbing his nose against her cheek. Laurel giggled and scooped the little skunk into her arms. She had fallen asleep with her feet still in the pond and rubbed them dry on the grass before trying to get her boots on without the use of her hands.

"Well hello there little one," she greeted with a smile. She had also noticed that there were a few more animals around her at various distances, but this one had been the closest and most curious of them. "Have you seen anyone come through here recently?" The skunk shook his head and Laurel gave a small sigh. "I'm looking for my friends, one is a wizard, two are human men, one is a dwarf, four are hobbits, and one is an elf," she explained. The skunk perked up when it heard the word "elf". In its mind laurel saw a blurry-looking blond-haired elf astride a horse with a bow and arrows in hand. Skunks were not known for their good eye-sight, but Laurel was sure that that looked like Legolas to her!

"Yes! That's one of my friends! Can you take me to him?" she pleaded with hopeful eyes and a bright smile. The skunk gave a happy little grunt and hopped out of her arms to show her the way.

"Oh, thank you!" she nearly cried with joy at the thought of seeing the fellowship again. The skunk, and a few other animals that had joined them, lead her into a forest up ahead and kept a brisk pace. The trees here were different than any she had ever seen. They were huge and tall and nearly silvery in appearance. They trotted through the understory of the forest for a while and Laurel was easily distracted by the many new animals and flowers she saw as they passed. She didn't take notice, however, when the animals suddenly scattered from the path and everything became eerily silent.

Laurel turned her attention back to her guide, only to find that she was now alone. She stopped in her tracks, turning slowly in a circle to get her bearings.

"Hello?" she called out. No answer came. She started to get worried now. It wasn't often that the animals would abandon her or not come if she called to them. She looked behind her at where she had come from and decided she should probably just continue forward. When she turned around she found a razor sharp arrowhead pointed at her.

"_State your purpose for trespassing_," a hard voice rung out. Laurel looked up over the arrow to see a tall, blond elf staring at her with a deadly expression. She could also see now that there were many other elves, some on horses, some in the trees, surrounding her.

"_I'm s-sorry_," she stammered under the pressure, speaking in Sindarin to match his inquiry. "_I was separated from my traveling companions and was trying to find them_," she explained. The elf kept his arrow trained on her.

"_No humans have passed through these woods. Leave here at once_," he commanded. Laurel took the time to really look at this elf and could see now that the skunk had pictured this elf and she had just assumed that it was Legolas. This was definitely not Legolas, but he was just as tall and maybe even as handsome as the woodland prince.

"_How about a wizard_?" she tried, giving him a sheepish look. The elf studied her for a moment or two.

"_What wizard_?" he countered, eying her suspiciously.

"Uh, _Mithrandir_..." she said hesitantly, hoping they knew who Gandalf was. The elves around her began to whisper amongst themselves.

"_Is he the one who taught you our language_?" the head elf asked. Laurel shook her head.

"_Lord Elrond and his son's taught me to speak Sindarin_," she explained. Truthfully, she had been taught by Saruman, but that was a detail she should probably keep to herself, she thought.

"_What is your relationship with the lord of Imladris_?" came his next question. Laurel could tell now that she was making headway.

"_He took me in and made me his ward_." She looked the elf over to see if he believed her. He gave her a few more once overs before he gave a curt nod, putting his bow away and ordering the other guards to stand down.

"_Forgive me, my lady. Any guest of Lord Elrond's is welcome in Lothlórien_," he said more gently this time and bowing his head to her. "_I am Haldir, marchwarden of the Golden Wood_."

"_Nice to meet you, I'm Laurel_," she replied with a little more ease now. A guard lead a white horse out from behind the trees and handed the reins to Haldir.

"_Lady Laurel, please allow us to escort you to the Lady of Lorien_," he offered as he extended a hand to her. Laurel gave him a small smile and a polite nod, placing her hand in his. The marchwarden's face let slip a breath of a smile as he took her hand and lifted her easily onto the horse. He deftly swung himself onto the horse behind her and wrapped a long, muscular arm around her waist, pulling her back flush against his chest. Laurel felt her cheeks heat up at the contact and the feeling of his strong muscles against her back.

They rode in relative silence for a short while before they came upon the gates to the golden wood. Laurel gasped when she saw the city in the woods. The trees where huge and magnificent with houses built onto the branches and long, winding staircases at each level. The leaves were beautiful and gold and a slow-moving river cut a path through the city. It was a wondrous sight!

Haldir gave a slight grin when he saw how dazzled the smaller woman in front of him was. It was clear that she had been traveling for some time and had not had a descent bath in a while or a fresh change of clothes. His first order of business was to bring her to Lady Galadriel and then sort out a room for her to stay in while she remained in the golden wood. He dismissed the guards to return to their patrol once he entered the city and made his way to the dwellings of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel.

Laurel was lifted off of the horse and gently set on her feet when they spotted the lord and lady of Lothlórien descending a staircase to meet them. Laurel righted her cloak and brushed a strand of her long, tangled hair behind her ear before bowing to the two as they approached.

"Rise, Lady Laurel," the elleth said, greeting her in the common tongue. Her eyes twinkled with unheard laughter when she saw Laurel's surprised expression. "Yes, my dear, we know who you are," she explained. "The Valar smile down upon you, little one." Celeborn nodded to Haldir and he took that as his cue of dismissal. The marchwarden bowed to the two and took his leave.

"We have be awaiting your arrival for some time, my dear," the elf, Lord Celeborn, said with a smile.

"You have?" Laurel asked, confused. How did they know who she was or that she would eventually find herself here?

"The Valar have shown us glimpses of your path, the one that has lead you here, and the one you are bound to take when you leave this place," Galadriel spoke. He long blonde hair flowed down her back in waves and her nose came to a small point with radiant, bright blue eyes. She was truly something to behold, as was her partner. Galadriel motioned for Laurel to follow her and of course she could not refuse the lady of the wood.

Laurel followed her as she was lead to a silver basin of sorts. She could see her reflection on the water's calm surface.

"Look into the pool, tell me what you see," Galadriel prompted with a smile. Laurel gave a slight nod and looked fully into the water. At first, she only saw her haggard reflection, but then it started to change. She saw herself astride a large black beast she had never seen before, and thus did not know what to call it, but she watched as she charged with an army across a battle field, the gates of Mordor looming in the background. She could not see any members of the fellowship around her, but the pictures flashed between scenes of the battle. Finally, there was a last image, one of her laying against a tree, sword buried in her side. Legolas was there as well, tears running down his face as he clutched her hand to his chest and brushed the blood-soaked hair from her face.

Laurel gasped violently as she stumbled back, falling to the ground. She felt her eyes well up with hot tears as she gazed up at Lady Galadriel. The elleth gave her a sad smile, knowing what she had seen. Laurel could not imagine herself killing another living being, let alone fighting a war. She felt sick when she remembered the anguished look on Legolas' face as she lay dying.

"I'm going to die," she whispered, looking up with teary eyes.

"When you have completed the task set out for you by Yavanna herself, yes my dear, you will leave this world." Her breath caught in her throat at those words. She had lived such a long and boring life, just waiting for this war to come, to play her part and then die. Surely she had more to do than that? Maybe Lady Galadriel was mistaken, or the water was tricking her somehow. Yavanna couldn't have meant for her to slaughter others and snuff out their lives at the very end, right? There had to be a better use for her talents than that.

"It is difficult, to see one's own departure, I know," Galadriel spoke. "But the fellowship cannot prevail without you, and this fate cannot be changed. You will save many lives by the end of this journey and you will make Yavanna proud." Laurel tried to muster a smile, to show the Lord and Lady that she understood and was grateful to them for their hospitality, but she could not. They most she could do was nod blankly as she picked herself up and dusted off her breeches.

"What happens next?" she asked quietly. The couple gave her sympathetic looks and motioned behind her. Laurel turned to see Haldir standing a few yards behind her once more.

"Haldir will show you to your rooms and help you get settled," Lord Celeborn explained. Laurel nodded in thanks and bowed to the two.

"Thank you both very much for your hospitality," she said without any hint of emotion left in her voice. Turning, she walked up to Haldir, placing her hand on his proffered arm. Silently, the marchwarden lead her away, seeing that the young woman have obviously not liked what the Lady Galadriel had shown her. He lead her up a few spiral staircases and along a winding causeway made from branches to the rooms that had been prepared for her.

"_These are your rooms, my lady_," Haldir informed her. "_The bathing pools are just that way beyond the trees_." Laurel looked to where he was pointing down below. "_A maid will bring you a fresh dress and shoes and come fetch you for dinner_."

"_Oh, actually_," Laurel stumbled over her words, "c_an I eat alone in my rooms? I'm not exactly feeling up to seeing many people_." Haldir smiled softly at her, an actual smile, and nodded.

"_Of course, my lad_-"

"_Laurel_," she interrupted. "J_ust Laurel_." Haldir gave her a smile and nodded.

"_Then I shall take my leave, Laurel. If you need anything at all, do not hesitate to ask_." She nodded in understanding and opened the door to her new room that she would be staying in. The room was fairly large, although not as large as her room in _Imladris_, and a decent-sized bed stood against the far wall and a small wardrobe just opposite it. Laurel grabbed a towel and some breeches and a tunic that were waiting on the bed and decided now was a good time for a bath.

She made her way to the ground again and followed Haldir's directions, finding the bathing pools easily enough. No one was here currently, but she still picked the pool farthest from the city. She kicked off her boots and quickly shed her dirty clothes before sliding easily into the warm water. Bottles of different colors and sizes were on a silver tray next to the pool. After smelling each one, she decided on the bottle that smelled of wildflowers and lathered it into her hair. She sighed as she felt the sweat and dirt leave her long locks. She scrubbed her body with the same soap and sank beneath the water once she was done.

Laurel sat there under the water for a few minutes, thinking about her day so far. What she wanted most right now was to see Legolas. She could not bring herself to imagine his pain-stricken face from the silver basin again and instead pictured how happy his face would be when he saw her again. She pictured the hobbits and Gimli and Aragorn and even Boromir. She could see Gandalf's knowing smile, as if he would have already known that she would be there.

So, if she was going to die on that battlefield, she would try to make each day worth living from now on. She would make the most of her relationships and take nothing for granted. She would live like she was dying.

After meditating for a few more minutes, she broke the surface of the pool and grabbed the towel she had brought with her. She dried herself off and tugged on her new breeches and tunic, which were a size too big for her. She glanced out at the sunset and smiled a sad, but hopeful smile. Everything would turn out the way the Valar had intended, and that was okay. She would play her part gratefully and be happy when it was done, she thought as she retraced her steps back to her room.

Laurel found a comb and settled down on the bed, brushing out her long, beautiful mahogany hair. She rubbed some of the rose-scented oil that was in her room into the ends of her hair, delighting in how fresh and rejuvenated she felt. She laid down on the bed, her body slowing down from the long day and let sleep carry her off, off to a place where she could dream happy dreams and not worry about the dangers of tomorrow.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen:

Laurel paced lightly by the river's edge, her deep blue gown trailing behind her. Legolas' heart stopped when he saw her. She was the most breathtaking sight. A thousand-watt smile lit his face and he raced down the hillside to her. As he neared her, however, another elf stepped around from behind her. Legolas skidded to a stop when he watched Haldir wrap his arms around Laurel from behind and draw her close to him. Laurel smiled up at him and turned in his arms. Haldir bent his head down to her and she wrapped her arms around his neck as they shared a passionate kiss.

Legolas felt like someone had just run a sword through his heart. He watched their exchange and their smiles as they drew apart. He watched Laurel turn to him, smiling as Haldir held her from behind. Her stomach was round now and Haldir lovingly rested his hands over their unborn child. She locked eyes with him and called to him.

"Legolas," she called. The elf in question swallowed thickly.

"Laurel," he nearly choked in reply. "Why are you with the marchwarden?" Laurel smiled up at the marchwarden behind her before reconnecting their gaze.

"You left me to die, Legolas."

"No!" he cried. "I didn't mean to! I tried to go after you!" Legolas felt a stray tear run down his cheek in his helplessness.

"You left me there to die, Legolas. Haldir saved me. He loves me more than you ever have." Her voice cut through him like a thousand knives. This was all wrong. She was supposed to be with him, not Haldir! She was supposed to start a family with him, to grow old with him, share her life with him. Legolas sank to his knees in distress, a burning sensation growing stronger just behind his ear.

"Laurel, please, wait..." Legolas called out desperately to her. Laurel and Haldir gave him one last glance before they turned away from him.

"Good bye, Legolas," she said softly.

"Laurel!" he called again.

"Legolas... Legolas... Legolas!"

Legolas jerked awake, being shaken by the ranger. His frenzied gaze met that of Aragorn, a worried look on his friend's face.

"Mellon...?" his friend whispered. Legolas shook his head to clear his thoughts, feeling the burning sensation behind his ear again. He reached up to feel behind his right ear and yanked his hand away when he felt the sting. Aragorn noticed his alarm and brushed Legolas' hair away from his ear to see what has caused him pain.

"What is this marking?" Aragorn asked, shifting his gaze back and forth between Legolas and the mark.

"What marking?" Legolas countered, confused.

"Theres a black marking behind your ear, it looks like vines braided in a circle," he explained. Legolas felt his heart drop. He had a soul mark. He stared down at his feet in confusion before Aragorn cleared his throat, obviously expecting an explanation.

"Its a soul mark," Legolas sighed. Aragorn's eyes widened in shock.

"But, wouldn't that mean you've found the person the Valar intended for you?" Legolas nodded slowly, surprised the ranger knew about the soul marks of Silvan elves.

"So the person you are meant to be with, they share this mark?" he asked for clarification.

"They are supposed to," Legolas sighed. "But I haven't seen another elleth in months, so I don't understand how this could be..." he trailed off.

"But you've been around Laurel," the ranger offered, glancing around their small company, making sure everyone was still sleeping and not eavesdropping on their conversation.

"But she's dead, Estel," Legolas whispered harshly. "Why would it appear now when she's already gone?" Aragorn felt bad for reopening such a fresh wound. Legolas had nearly isolated himself completely after Laurel had died, not speaking to anyone for very long, not even him. He was worried about his friend. Legolas had been tearing himself apart on the inside, thinking of all the times he distanced himself from Laurel because he thought she was with Glorfindel, romantically speaking. How many opportunities had he missed? What might their relationship have been like had he just mustered up the courage to ask her instead of assuming?

Legolas had to shake himself from the downward spiral his thoughts were taking him down. He stood quickly, rolling up his bed roll and dusting off his pants.

"Let's wake the others, I want to get out of these mines."

* * *

Laurel awoke to the sound of someone knocking on her door. She yawned tiredly and stretched her arms over her head. She swung her legs off the side of the bed and went to answer the door. A young elleth stood outside, a deep blue dress and a matching pair of slippers in her arms.

"_Forgive me, my lady_," she bowed her head as she spoke. "_I was supposed to deliver these yesterday evening, but when there was no answer at the door, I figured you might be asleep and thus did not want to disturb you_." Laurel gave her a grateful smile and took the dress from her.

"_How very thoughtful of you_," she smiled at the maid. "_Thank for the dress, it's lovely_." The elleth smiled back at her and quickly turned to leave. She shut her door and laid the dress out on her bed. She didn't care for dresses, but she was in someone else's home and it would be rude not to wear the dress they had sent her.

Laurel slipped the deep blue silk gown over her head, letting it drape over the curves of her body as if it were made for her. She smiled at the dress, liking the loose-fitting feeling that came with it, not like the more restrictive dresses from Imladris. She ran the comb through her hair and smiled when it formed long, shimmering waves like it was supposed to. She hated how her hair grew tangled and dirty during their journey and truly delighted in washing her hair yesterday.

Setting the comb on the wardrobe, Laurel stepped into the blue shoes that matched the dress and left her room. Today she would familiarize herself with Lothlórien and meet new people, she decided. Once she had descended the stairs to the forest floor, she set about strolling through the streets, and looking for the marketplace.

Haldir had been discussing patrols with his second in command when he spotted her. The deep blue dress he had sent her hung from her hips in the most sensual way. She had slightly larger breasts than most elleths, even if she weren't as tall as they were, and hips that could make any man's mouth water. The bath had certainly transformed her into a new person it seemed. Haldir watched as the light caught her hair just right and shone in the sunlight as it cascaded in long chocolate curls to brush the small of her back.

"_Excuse me for a moment_," Haldir said, extracting himself from the conversation. He strode across the street to where Laurel was admiring the fabrics in a merchant's shop.

"_Good morning_," Haldir smiled at the woman. Laurel nearly jumped at the unexpected voice behind her.

"_Oh! Haldir_,_ good morning_," she greeted him with a smile of her own.

"_That dress looks stunning on you_," he complimented as he took her hand and placed a polite kiss to her knuckles. Laurel blushed heavily, not knowing how to respond to such a direct compliment.

"_Oh, um, well thank you_," she stuttered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"_Would you care to join me for a stroll before I must leave for patrol_?" He gazed into her eyes, admiring the striking emerald green depths.

"_Of course_," she complied with a grin, placing her hand on his outstretched arm. Haldir lead them toward the gardens, keeping a leisurely pace as they went.

"_Where are you from, if I might ask_," Haldir spoke, glancing down at the woman on his right. Laurel felt those old feelings of mistrust flooding back and reverted to her protective guise.

"Bree," she blurted out almost instinctively. Haldir nodded politely.

"_I have never been to_ Bree. _What is it like there_?" Laurel felt her heart rate begin to rise.

"_Oh, just like any other human town, very boring, not really much to talk about_," she covered. Haldir stopped them once they came to a small fountain, dropping his arm to fold his hands behind his back.

"_I find it hard to believe that anything about you could be counted as boring_," the elf gave her a handsome smirk. Laurel had to admit it, this elf was very good looking, not as handsome as she thought Legolas was, but his strong and sharp features were something to behold, not to mention his strong stature and commanding presence.

Laurel looked into the fountain, watching small orange fish swim about in the bubbling water.

"_I'm afraid it's true_," she continued their conversation. She turned to face him again and noticed his intense gaze. Haldir placed a gentle hand on the small of her back as he took a small step toward her, narrowing the distance between them.

"_Forgive me for being so forward, but I have never seen a human woman, or elleth for that matter, quite as striking as you_," he spoke softly. He brought a hand up to brush her hair behind her right ear, but when he made contact with the skin there Laurel hissed in pain and jumped back.

"_Are you alright_?" Haldir asked, surprised by her reaction. "_Did I hurt you_?" Laurel shook her head, rubbing the tender spot behind her ear, not really knowing what just happened, but deciding not to think too much about it.

"_No, no, you didn't hurt me_," she replied hurriedly. "_Just a, uh, a headache_." Haldir gave her an understanding look.

"_Then perhaps some rest might help? It is nearly time for me to leave for my patrol anyway. May I escort you to your rooms_?" Laurel nodded and let Haldir lead her out of the gardens, a warm hand resting on her lower back to guide her. He led her back to the tree her rooms were in and up the stair cases and to her door.

"_Thank you for the stroll, lovely Laurel_," Haldir placed a last lingering kiss on her knuckles before taking his leave. Laurel felt like her heart was about to spring from her chest at any moment. Haldir stirred feelings in her that she normally only felt around Legolas. What did this mean, and why was the skin behind her ear starting to heat up?

* * *

"Over the bridge! Fly!" Gandalf shouted, the balrog hot on their heels. The fellowship raced through the mines and over the bridge that would lead them to their exit. They felt the rumbling of the entire mountain when the balrog roared, spurring them on. Gandalf ushered them all onto the bridge and was the last one to follow suit. When everyone was across, Gandalf turned to face the great beast.

"You cannot pass!" he shouted, squaring off with the ancient demon. He began chanting, blocking a blow from the monster's sword with his staff. "Go back to the shadows!" The fellowship could only look on as the balrog cracked a giant whip that burned like fire, with nothing but the grey wizard blocking his path.

"You shall not pass!" cried the wizard, slamming his staff onto the bridge in front of him and watched as it crumbled away, taking the balrog with it. However, the balrog slung his whip one last time, catching Gandalf's heel and dragging him off the bridge. The fellowship gasped as he caught himself on the ledge.

"Gandalf!" Frodo cried, lunging forward. Boromir had to restrain the you hobbit to keep him from dashing out onto the crumbling bridge.

"Fly you fools," Gandalf grunted before losing his grip.

"No!" Frodo shouted as they watched the wizard plummet into the shadows. The fellowship was shocked into stillness once again as they lost another member of the fellowship. Boromir and Aragorn, however, had to keep them moving as the goblins began to flood the mines once again, firing arrows in their direction. Legolas lead the group up a staircase with Aragorn watching their backs as they ran.

They made it out of the mines finally and out into the light of day, stopping on the jagged, rocky landscape. The hobbits broke down almost immediately. Sam had to cover his face as the tears fell and Merry held Pip as he shook with his sobs. Even Boromir embraced Gimli in the dwarf's distress.

"Legolas," Aragorn called to his friend. "Get them up."

"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" Boromir cried out to the ranger.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs," Aragorn reminded them, pulling them back into the reality that danger lurked around every corner. "We must reach the woods of Lothlórien. Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, get them up!"

The men sprung into action at the direct order, seeing as Aragorn was the rightful person to lead them now that Gandalf was gone. Aragorn lifted Sam to his feet, patting his shoulder.

"On your feet, Sam," he said before turning to find Frodo. He spotted the hobbit a little ways away, seeming to have walked a few yards to distance himself from the group. "Frodo," he called to the hobbit. The dark-haired hobbit turned his watery gaze to the ranger, not bothering to mask his anguish. Aragorn wanted to give them time to mourn, but they simply did not have that luxury.

They gathered up the hobbits and headed in the direction Frodo had began walking, making their way down the rocky hill side. The grassy area that lead to the tree line was extremely exposed, so they had to be quick. They could not afford to be caught out in the open.

A half hour later found them entering the golden wood, making it through the tree line and slowing their pace to a walk again.

"Stay close, young hobbits!" Gimli whispered. "They say a great sorceress lives in these woods. An elf-witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell."

Legolas rolled his eyes at the dwarf's warning.

"Well, here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily!" he boasted. "I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox- oh!" Gimli nearly walked into a pointed arrowhead of a Lothlórien guard. The fellowship was surrounded on all sides by elves, arrows drawn.

"The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark," Haldir drawled as he approached them. Legolas tensed when he saw the elf that spoke. Instantly he felt a sort of anger build up inside him, albeit for no reason, seeing as there was no way that dream could have indeed happened. Suddenly, the guards backed away from them when Haldir gave them a hand signal.

"_Welcome, Legolas Thranduilion_," Haldir greeted when he recognized the woodland prince. "_Aragorn of the Dunedain, you are known to us_," Haldir greeted the ranger as well.

"So much for the legendary courtesy of the elves," Gimli huffed. "Speak words we can all understand!" Haldir cast a cold gaze down upon the dwarf.

"We have not had dealings with the dwarves since the dark days," Haldir trailed off as he shifted his focus from Gimli to Frodo, ignoring the curse Gimli slung at him.

"You bring great evil with you," he eyed Frodo, sensing the one ring. "You can go no further." Aragorn and Legolas looked at the marchwarden in surprise. Frodo felt his spirit slip just a little further at the bad news and slumped against a tree. The hobbits formed a small group while Aragorn tried to negotiate with Haldir.

"Gandalf did not die in vain," Boromir spoke to Frodo while they waited. "You carry a heavy burden, do not carry the weight of the dead." Frodo was about to respond when Haldir spoke up again.

"You will follow me," he said curtly, turning on his heel. The fellowship quickly righted themselves and followed after the marchwarden, flanked on each side and from behind by the guards. They walked for a while, the sun starting to dip lower in the sky before they finally reached Caras Galadhon, the largest city in the Golden Wood.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen:

The sun was about to set as Laurel strolled through the gardens in Caras Galadhon. She had made her peace with her fate and had spent most of the day enjoying the sunshine and conversing casually with the locals, that is, the ones that actually gave her the time of day. Some of the elves were suspicious of humans and did not trust Laurel and so kept their distance from her.

She had spent the entire day in the blue gown, despite her usual hatred of dresses. This dress felt different, it was comfortable, breathable, and shifted with her as she moved. She had been hearing whispers among the locals for the past hour and it was obvious that something was going on, but she could not figure out what exactly. Another half hour passed as she watched the sun set from a bench near the fountain Haldir had shown her. Just as she thought about that particular elf, he seemed to appear, as if by magic.

"_Beautiful_," Haldir breathed as he walked up to the bench. Laurel smiled at him and gestured for him to sit.

"_Yes, it is isn't it_?" she said, gazing out over the horizon.

"_I wasn't speaking of the sunset_," the elf said softly. Laurel blushed slightly and turned to look at the marchwarden. He seemed to be giving her much more attention that she had ever received from a male being, and she didn't know what to make of that. She watched as the marchwarden stood from the bench, offering her his hand, to which she accepted. Haldir pulled her to stand and wrapped her hand over his arm, guiding them further into the gardens.

Meanwhile, the fellowship was busy getting settled in their new rooms and then planning to head down to the dining area for a warm meal. Legolas removed his quiver and bow, stowing them atop the wardrobe in his room when he heard Merry and Pip talking outside his window.

"Gee, Pip, that lady down there reminds me of Laurel. So pretty in that blue dress. Even her hair looks the same."

"I know, Merry, I miss her too," Pip consoled his friend as they sat on the platform in the tree, looking out over the gardens. "The marchwarden looks happy. Maybe that's his wife?'" Pip suggested.

Legolas froze in place when he heard their conversation. Haldir, blue dress, woman that looked like Laurel. It couldn't be...

The elf quickly exited his room, looking over the hobbits' heads to the couple strolling through the gardens below. He spotted Haldir walking with a maiden in a deep blue dress, just like the one in his dream. And the hobbits were right to say she looked like Laurel. The way the light of the setting sun shone on those long mahogany tresses that nearly brushed her hips looked exactly like Laurel's hair. He remembered the few opportunities he had had in the past when he ran his fingers through that luxurious hair.

It was when the woman turned her head toward Haldir that Legolas really felt his stomach drop. It was her. It was Laurel. He knew the curve of her face, the freckles that dotted her cheeks, the slope of her small nose and those luscious pink lips that he dreamed of each night. Without another thought, Legolas raced for the stairs, making Merry and Pip jump.

Legolas bounded down the staircases as fast as he could, bolting into the gardens. He searched for where he had seen the two from above and headed in that direction. When he turned a corner and passed a large fountain, he screeched to a halt. There she was, stunning as ever, with Haldir, just like they were in his dream. For a moment he saw red. Legolas felt the Silvan side of his heritage flare up in a rage against the marchwarden. His temperature rose when he saw Haldir's arm around her waist and wanted to put an arrow through the other elf.

Legolas remembered then how his father had taught him to school his emotions, to not let his actions be driven by them. He took a deep breath and calmed himself. It would do no one any good if he were to send the marchwarden to an early grave. Besides, he was here for her, for Laurel. He took a few steps closer to the pair, mustering up the courage to call out to her.

"Laurel," Legolas called softly, standing not ten yards away from the couple. Laurel stopped talking and turned her head toward the voice. When her eyes connected with his, she felt the air leave her lungs and her heart nearly stop.

"Legolas," she breathed. She stood in shock for a few moments until her surprise turned into joy and excitement. "Legolas!" she called out to him, picking up the hem of her dress and breaking into a run toward the woodland elf. A wide smile broke out onto his face as well as he took large, quick steps to meet her halfway and easily scooped her into his arms. Laurel felt happy tears run down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly to her.

Legolas felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders and everything was right in the world once more. He had his arms caging her tightly to his chest and his face buried in her soft hair. When they finally pulled away from each other, Legolas smiled brightly as he cupped her face in his hands, brushing her tears away with his thumbs.

"_Melesra ním_," he whispered to her, "Why do you cry?" Laurel gazed up into his sky-blue eyes and gave him a watery smile.

"I've missed you, Legolas," she admitted. Before they became separated, that was not something she would have ever considered saying out loud to him. Now, however, time was of the essence and she did not intend to waste it by not saying how she felt.

Legolas had to clench his jaw tightly to keep his own happy and relieved tears reined in. He pulled her back into his chest, tucking her head under his chin and wrapping his arms protectively around her.

"I thought I lost you," he whispered into her hair. He let out a shaky breath and squeezed her a little tighter, remembering the horror he felt when he watched her being dragged into the dark water. Laurel lifted her head to look at him once more and smiled lovingly at the woodland prince.

"I'm here now," she whispered. Legolas could control himself no longer and cupped her face with his right hand while the other arm snaked around her waist. He leaned down to her as she leaned up and their lips connected in a powerful, passionate kiss that had been a long time coming. Laurel wound her arms around Legolas' neck and pressed herself more fully against him, eliciting a small groan from the elf. He felt her soft lips against his and he could swear there was no greater feeling in this world. Their lips moved together in a fiery dance filled with love and joy and relief. Laurel felt her knees go weak beneath her and was thankful that Legolas was holding her up.

He smelled of pine needles and mountain air, a combination she would have burned into her memory for all eternity. She could feel the hard, muscular planes of his body pressed against her as he ravaged her mouth with such intensity. She had never kissed anyone before, but if this is what it was like, then she would do this every chance she got. She sighed contentedly into his kiss as she began to feel a little light-headed.

Laurel finally had to break the kiss to catch her breath, leaning her forehead against Legolas'. They stayed in that position for a few moments before they realized they had gathered an audience. Laurel blushed and ducked her head under his chin once again when she saw the astonished look on Haldir's face. Legolas gave the marchwarden a confident smirk as he turned them to face the fellowship.

"Laurel!" came the combined shouts from the hobbits. Laurel raised her head and smiled brightly when she saw the four halflings barreling toward them. They quickly ambushed her in a giant group hug filled with joyous laughs and happy tears. Laurel glanced over the mob of hobbits to see the surprised faces of Aragorn, Gimli and Boromir. They seemed rooted in place at the sight of her still alive. The three remaining members not enveloped in the hobbit's embrace approached the group.

"Lady Laurel," Boromir began, kneeling in front of the woman with his gaze cast to the ground. "Forgive me, I have been cruel and unkind to you. You did not deserve such treatment and I shall spend every day trying to regain your favor." Laurel's eyes widened at the man's words, slightly shocked and a little confused that he felt so guilty.

"You are forgiven, Lord Boromir," she replied with a compassionate smile, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. The man from Gondor rose to his feet once again, a happier countenance gracing his features now. A sigh of relived tension left his lungs and he clapped Legolas on the shoulder, giving the elf a knowing look after shifting his gaze to Laurel and then back to the elf.

"Oh, lass! It's so good to have ya back!" Gimli cried as he shoved his way around Aragorn and Boromir. He lumbered up to the woman and elf, the hobbits stepping aside to give him some room. Gimli took both of Laurel's hands in his, squeezing them tightly as his eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"Don't you worry, lassie," Gimli reassured. "No one here will treat ya any differently or under-appreciate ya ever again! Or else they'll have one angry dwarf to deal with!" Laurel smiled at the dwarf, but looked up to Legolas with a confused expression. What did Gimli mean they wouldn't treat her differently? Why would they treat her differently now than before?

Aragorn was the last to approach. He gave the pair a soft smile, happy that his closest friend had the woman he was so infatuated with back in his life.

"It gladdens me to see you alive and well," he addressed Laurel. The woman gave him a soft look in return.

"I am also glad to see you all as well," she replied easily. Laurel cast her gaze beyond their group and to the area around them, not spotting who she was looking for. "Where is Gandalf? I have not seen him yet."

A hush fell over the fellowship at the mention of the wizard. The hobbits held on to each other in comfort and the others simply cast their eyes down to their boots. Laurel felt Legolas' arm wrap around her back and pull her closer to him. She looked up at the elf, seeing sadness in his eyes.

"Gandalf did not make it out of the mines with us," he explained quietly. Laurel felt her heart drop.

"What?" she whispered. But Gandalf was a wizard, how could he not make it out with the rest of them? She opened her mouth to ask what had happened but Legolas beat her to the punch.

"We can talk about the details later perhaps?" Legolas suggested, eyeing the Lórien elves that had gathered around their group to watch the commotion. Laurel nodded in response and turned to where she had left Haldir, but could not see him anywhere. It would seem that the marchwarden had left once he witnessed the obvious affection held between the woodland prince and Laurel.

The fellowship showed her the place they were staying and she followed them up the stairs to the platform that held their rooms. The hobbits had decided to stay together in one room while the others each had their own. Laurel sat down next to Legolas on a log by the fire Sam was building while she waited to hear what had happened to her favorite wizard. Legolas rested his arm around her waist, not having let go of her since they were reunited, and she nervously brushed her long hair over her shoulder.

The elf smiled down at the woman beside him. Out of the corner of his eye, however, he spotted a black marking behind her right ear. One that looked similar to his from the small glimpse he had seen. He felt his heart swell when he realized what that meant. His eyes connected with Aragorn across the fire, who had seen Legolas inspecting the same area on Laurel that his own soul mark resided. The ranger gave him a questioning look and Legolas cracked a small smirk and nodded to the ranger. His friend returned the expression, seeing that now things would be changing between the the couple, hopefully for the better.

Once the fire was sufficiently built and everyone had made a sort of circle around the fire, Aragorn told her of Gandalf's battle with the balrog and the time they had spent in the mines. Laurel thought about the darkness they described and she was glad that she had not had to go with them down there. She didn't know if she would have made it.

There was a palpable hole of sorts where the wizard used to be in their little fellowship of the ring, and it felt wrong to be sitting here without him. Laurel had trusted Gandalf with her most intimate secret and he had believed in her like no one else had. He was to her what Saruman should have been, and she felt his loss keenly.

"How did you get away from the watcher?" came Frodo's voice after a long pause of silence.

"I didn't," Laurel said softly. "He let me go." That admission obviously stirred up suspicion within the group.

"Let you go?" Boromir asked incredulously. Laurel nodded.

"He lifted me out of the water and put me back on the shore. Perhaps I had fallen into the water at some point," she guessed.

"Lass, the watcher was the one that dragged you into that water," Gimli supplied. All heads turned to her as a confused look crept onto her face.

"So..." she hesitated, trying to work out in her mind what could have happened. "How did we get separated?"

"It was my fault," Legolas spoke up. Laurel looked up at him in surprise.

"No, Legolas, it was not," Aragorn countered. Legolas closed his eyes for a brief second and gazed into the fire crackling in front of them.

"I set you down," he looked over to the woman beside him. "I shouldn't have done that. The watcher grabbed you while I was distracted, and before I could react you were gone beneath the surface of the lake."

Laurel watched him as he spoke, witnessing the guilt pass over his features as he recounted the tale. She took his hand in hers and gave it a small squeeze, letting him know that she didn't blame him for what happened.

"So, how did you get away?" Pip took up Frodo's previous question.

"He let me go, Pip," Laurel reiterated.

"Did you use your magic powers?" Merry added with a hopeful look. Laurel's face paled instantly. How did they know? This was certainly not good. She had been trying to go over in her mind the perfect way to tell them when they met up again, but now that was all toast.

"Oh, um..." Laurel stammered. She rose from her seat next to Legolas and started to slowly retreat to where she knew the stairs were.

"Laurel," Legolas stood and reached out for her, drawing a panicked look from the woman at his outstretched hand. It was now clear to the fellowship just how deep this insecurity of hers ran. Laurel had told herself that she would tell them, but now she didn't know what to do. They didn't seem angry with her, or anything that Saruman said would happen if anyone found out. Maybe this would be okay?

Legolas stepped over the log they had been sitting on and took a few steps toward her, holding his hand out to her once more.

"Gandalf told us, _melesra ním_," he whispered to her, eyes holding nothing but acceptance and encouragement. "He told us that you were afraid of our reactions if we should ever find out, but no one here feels any differently about you. You are cherished and appreciated, I promise you there is nothing to be afraid of."

Laurel took a few deep breaths, mulling over his words before she gave a slight nod and placed her hand in his. Legolas smiled at her as he led her back over to the fire and reclaimed their seats on the log.

"Well," she sighed, looking around at the group, "I guess I have a lot of explaining to do."

* * *

"_Melesra ním_" = My love (Silvan tongue)


End file.
